Blogging slump, empty nest

After a very busy spring and summer of college visits, high school prom, senior trip, baseball games (championships too!), banquets, rehearsals, graduations, parties and more parties, college paperwork, last minute packing and apartment hunting -  my baby left for college last month. The house is too quiet now and I hate it. We were so busy for so long and now the flurry is tapering off. There is still paperwork and details to work out for college, more packing and things to buy for his house (filled with 8 baseball players!), weekend college baseball games and other odds and ends but it's not the same. I miss my kids and I miss having them need me. The house is too quiet, I don't have to run the dishwasher and washing machine every day and a gallon of milk lasts a long time now.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how much college boy has called home. We send text messages back and forth every day like we always have but we've also been receiving actual phone calls as well. And not just because he needs something, sometimes it's to talk and tell us about his day! I don't know about you but where I come from 18 year-old boys don't often talk to their parents any more than they have to. It's so nice to hear him say he has a break between classes and wanted to chat or wondered what we were doing. He's also become quite responsible doing chores at his house, giving friends and teammates rides to school, even doing homework early!

Most days I'm fine and I'm enjoying the  last days of summer and time with my hubby. I'm getting back to blogging and reading. My two oldest boys live here in town and come to the house often. I do have to shed a few tears here and there though. This will be the first soccer season in 16 years that we don't have anyone playing. We have no (local) school functions to attend, teens wandering in and out of the house (the pitter patter of really big feet), and the house is too darn quiet. But on the good side there's also no detention slips for being late - again, no school functions to attend (I've had enough parent/teacher conferences and spring concerts to last a lifetime!), no uniforms or school clothes to wash, homework to fight over, late nights waiting for the last kid to come home... I guess it's not all bad.

When I really get lonely I remember that next month we are taking our first real family vacation ever. (Hubby won a trip to the Universal Resort in Orlando, Florida last year. More on that later.) The five of us get to go the amusement parks and stay on sight in a beautiful hotel and for 4 days and 3 nights. How wonderful! BUT...we also get to travel together by planes and shuttles, stay together in 1 hotel room with 2 beds and 1 cot,  and bicker... When I think about all of that "quality" time together I don't seem to feel as sad anymore!

We were also blessed to welcome a new little person into our lives last year. My oldest son met a sweet girl who already had an adorable daughter. We were happy to have them join our family and the little one is my favorite 3 year-old. And now my son and his girlfriend are expecting a baby boy in November! Somehow, I think having these little people in my life is going to keep me very busy and it won't always be so quiet around here. We've already got toys scattered around, a Barbie townhouse (we aren't used to girl toys!), and a new cradle to keep in the spare room. Ah, the pitter patter of little feet again! And when I get tired or need peace and quiet, I get to send them home to their parents!! Of course I'll make sure they are all sugared up first and have learned a few new tricks before they go... Isn't that what a grandparent is for?