Empty Nest Syndrome

I've heard of this and read about it, especially folks doing crazy things when their kids leave home, like have another one or adopt a few or lose their minds!!

I am very much looking forward to an empty nest. I actually had a nice sample last fall with Renee living on campus and Lynn in Memphis, the last couple of days, he's been at his foster mom's and Renee has been house sitting. So, it's just been me and the cat!

Been pretty quiet - I guess I've listened to a 1000 songs, watched a little t.v. and slept quite a bit. Not sleeping because of anything but sheer exhaustion, I've taken a few days off from work and then realized just how dog tired I really am.

Anyway, back to my subject, I'm looking forward to the kids being on their own. And, I want a smaller space, just enough for me, the cat is going with Renee, that I can have my books, a t.v. and the computer, that's all. I don't want to keep a bigger place than I can comfortably take care of and use all of. Right now, I never go past the computer in the living room, so there are three rooms in this house I rarely even enter.

That makes me wonder too about some of my friends and neighbors who've kept the big house even though all of the kids are long gone. I think that must be a burden though, I can barely motorvate enough to keep me afloat, I sure don't want to have to dust and vacuum rooms no one ever uses!

I think part of it too is that to truly downsize, you have to get rid of a lot of stuff. But it's just stuff!! But, it becomes important to physically maintain the memories and the appearance of being important to the memory.

My point is, I don't have to have the piano to remember taking Amy to her lessons, or Renee playing on it when she was a year old, or Meaghan's reindition of "Jesus Loves Me, Yes He Does". I don't have to have every piece of paper my children ever brought home from school to remember their school days (and yes, at one point, I had EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF PAPER!!)

Well, I'm hopeful to become an empty nester in the next 12-24 months - maybe - downsize to a one bedroom apartment and sit in the sun as often as weather permits.