In life we seem to have chapters that unfold in our life story. Some have referred to them as seasons. The older we get the early chapters fade away to new ones.
Our youngest, Mark, will be graduating college this year catapulting us into the true empty-nest. Having four kids this has been a long time in the making.
It is funny how it seems like yesterday that we were in our toddler rearing chapter. The days were extremely long. Naps were required, for them and for me! It was exhausting. It was chaotic. It was wonderful. Nothing can compare to your toddler crawling up on your lap and giving you that warm hug just because you are Mom.
While dealing with those two toddlers we also had two kids in elementary school. This required baseball and soccer schedules. Parent teacher conferences. Field trips. Sleepovers. However, those two older ones also provided playmates at four pm giving me time to get supper on the table. Sarah and Jason adored their little brothers.
It's easy to remember these times because we have been pouring through the thousands of photos preserved on our computer. Life gets busy and we capture those memories but we stowed them away to continue making new ones. Im glad that we are taking the time in our empty nest to organize those files and relive those memories.
Each of our kids have been building their own nest and their own memories. It is fun to see them take lessons from their every day lives while they were part of our nest and using it to build theirs. Jason has been busy remodeling his home and starting a garden at his home. Sarah may live in an apartment but she enjoys coming home to build projects in the wood shop. Eric has always been a creator, and this year he has been working on building a bar top and learning how to make butterfly inlays. I am excited to see that project complete. Mark has been busy with school but has taken an interest in the woodshop as well.
We knew when we got married that raising children would be rewarding and challenging. It was on our honeymoon that we had made a commitment to take a anniversary trip without our children every five years. Some years it was difficult to go far because of the age of the children but we made it happen. We feel like that is part of what has made our marriage strong - focusing on being a couple as well as being parents. This past December we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and are ready to embark on the longest vacation yet!! I guess that is the blessing of having an empty nest. If you want to come along on the trip you can follow us on our YouTube channel - Sweet Fire Sugar Bush. See ya from the road.
