Tonight we had our parent informational meeting for FFA, followed by her first FFA meeting. WOW! Our kids never participated in 4-H and we never really go to the county fair during the summer. So after the parent meeting, during her meeting, we went for dinner. I will even stretch it and call it date night because we NEVER get those! Anyway, it was nice to talk about the meeting and give our thoughts as to what sector of the agricultural world she would venture into.
Our conversation led into the “empty nest” discussion. With the oldest out of house and the second one a Junior in college we are well on our way to the empty nest phase. My husband’s opinion is that the middle one has flown the nest and the only one left is the high schooler. I do not agree with that because we are in the middle of helping said college child locate a place to live for her Senior year. When she “moves out” she isn’t taking her bedroom furniture and is just getting a house to share with three other girls. To me, we are still in the “guiding” her phase, which never ends, but I just don’t feel like she has flown the coop yet!
I have heard so many parents talk about being empty nesters and the debate of if they are ready or not for their kids to leave the house. My husband is so ready to be an empty nester he can hardly handle it. He told me tonight that he is counting the days! There certainly are days that I will not miss waking up at 5 a.m. and staying up until midnight to get uniforms washed, but at the same time I will miss that! It is my job to take care of them.
It is just a season of life and I know that I will adjust to the changes, like I have during all the other changing seasons. The preparation season is giving me time to daydream about all the things that are to come and the exciting journey we are about to experience.
