A Glimpse of My Empty Nest

If you've been reading here the last few months, it will come as no surprise that I have been dreading the empty nest. Dreading it.  My looming empty nest is a large part of what led me to blogging.  Like many other moms, my identity has been tied up in parenting my two boys.  I am trying to figure out what to do with myself once they finally fly off.

My poor husband finds this whole subject very insulting.  He likes to point out that we were fun loving, happy people before the kids arrived.  He wants to know why the thought of having him all to myself again is so terrible.  I've tried to explain that the two situations have nothing to do with each other, but we've agreed to disagree at this point.

Don't get me wrong.  I really enjoy my husband's company.  We met when we were fifteen, and we're still best friends after thirty two years together.  We make each other laugh and have a lot in common.  We've made it a point to take time for our marriage as our boys have grown. I can't say we've managed a weekly date night, but we're not that couple that's going to look at each other and ask "who are you again"?

But I'm still dreading the empty nest.

However.

Last Saturday the boys were gone, off with friends for the night.  Obviously, they've both been out of the house at the same time before.  But since T has his license now, I didn't even have to worry about picking anybody up later in the evening.

Hubby and I didn't know what to do with ourselves.  He commented that this was what we'd have to look forward to in years to come.  Of course, I gave him a dirty look.  But then I realized it was kind of nice. The house was quiet and orderly.  We had nothing to do, nobody who needed us, and no one we had to be back for. 

We eventually decided to head to a nearby town.   We strolled up and down the street, deciding where we wanted to go. Nobody told us to hurry because they were starving.  No teenager piped up with an opinion about where to eat.  We chose a nice restaurant, and we discussed subjects other than sports and whether Kate Upton or Emma Watson is hotter (yes, my boys have a thing for Hermione).

After our lovely, quiet dinner we went for frozen yogurt and sat outside talking as the sun set.  I have to admit I missed the boys a little bit.  But mostly I just enjoyed my husband's company.

Maybe this empty nest won't be so terrible after all.