Empty Nesters ~ A Reality

Photo of beautiful ‘Empty Nest’ painting courtesy of marygregorystudio.blogspot.com

Growing up and then raising my own three children I always wanted it to be like it is in the show “Parenthood” … kids are grown but all living nearby raising their own families, entire family gathering once a week and always on holidays, siblings supporting each other during good times and difficult times, the entire family showing up during a crisis or celebrations … just always there for each other.  Heck that’s even why we bought this big ole house when our kids were just about grown … plenty of room to have them all here visiting at the same time … course we were assuming they would ALL be able to visit at the same time and maybe even a few times a year AT THE SAME TIME.  It’s been almost 4 years since we’ve had them all here AT THE SAME TIME.  Heck, we have even tried planning a ONCE a year family vacation, all paid for by us, and that hasn’t worked out either.  The term ‘Empty Nesters’ is just that, for us, our nest is empty and its never ever gonna be full again … not even briefly.

My hubby and I have recently come to accept that our three kids and their families will never all live close to us … we will never be like “Parenthood” and even have found the bright side to that … hey it doesn’t matter WHERE we live as HOME to our kids is wherever we happen to live so we can pretty much live wherever we want, right?  What a wonderful bright side, huh?  NOT!  When HOME is never ever full of the entire family … well it just ain’t really a HOME.

Now that the holidays are soon upon us and once again we will be alone for Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas too … I’m very very sad.  The last couple years I had a hard time with “should I or shouldn’t I drag out all the Thanksgiving décor and then the Christmas décor and decorate” but I did.  This year … I just ain’t doing it.  Hubby and I will still give thanks on Thanksgiving whether or not there are Pilgrims and Indians and fall décor on our table … there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.  AND we will still celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ whether or not there are wreaths on our windows and doors, a tree decorated in the hall and family room or my Santa collection displayed or even the Manger Scene set up to remind us of what Christmas is all about … we will remember and Christmas will still come and we will still celebrate … décor or not!!!

This is our reality now … WE ARE EMPTY NESTERS!!!