Semi-Empty Nest

I am experiencing a semi-empty nest this week.
Adrienne and Aaron left for Creation Northeast Festival this morning and won't be back until Sunday.
Amy is at an Art Camp all week; she left Monday and will return Friday.
Heather is at my sister's for the week; she left Sunday and will return Saturday.
That leaves poor little Ryan here with his boring parents.

So my nest feels empty. The house is quiet. The dishes are not piling up. The laundry is not piling up. Mealtime is weird. I feel a little weird.

Someday all my children will have grown up and left the security of this home, making their own way in the world. Will we have prepared them? Will they be ready?

Will I be ready?

I know that day is still years away, but in some ways, it is already happening. Take this week for instance. Part of getting them ready for what life has for them is by letting them leave here for short periods of time.

From Day 1, our goal has been to raise responsible, independent, God-fearing, moral, fun-loving,  and creative adults. Part of doing that is preparing myself to let them be adults, to let them make mistakes, to let them make decisions, to let them go to camp, spend a week with an aunt, and go to a music festival as leaders of a group of young people. That even includes Ryan spending a week without his older siblings and buddies, being independent in his play and helping me and his dad with the chores that need done.

My nest is semi-empty this week. And that's okay. Some of the benefits, like not as many dishes and dirty clothes, are nice, but I will welcome them back with open arms. (My children, not the dirty dishes and clothes.) Don't tell them, but I actually miss the noise that is usually so loud and at times, overwhelming.

Come to think of it, I will always welcome them back with open arms, whether it is Friday, Saturday, Sunday or 5 years, 10 years, 17 years, 50 years. . .

Love,
Dianne