Journey of an Empty Nester
For twenty years my life and sometimes identity revolved around being a mom. Once I became a stay at home mom, I didn’t have a name anymore. It was Mom or (insert child’s name here) mom. I was recognized by my accent because it sounded like my children’s. We moved from Texas to Idaho and our accent stands out. We homeschooled until 2012 and then experienced “real” school. I’m truly thankful for all the experiences and lessons learned.
My daughters are now out on their own and share a duplex. My youngest didn’t like school, even homeschooling. She decided that getting her GED suited her better. She made her case and we let her move in with her sister at 17. This year, both girls are officially adults. They turn 18 and 21. I’m not sure where the time went, but it was a wild ride. I can say it is nice not having to be a constant role model. Now, I get to enjoy the beautiful women they are becoming and watch them fly.
While being a full-time mom, I put my dreams on hold. My parenting was the most important job I had to do. Now that they are grown, I decided it is time to explore what I want to do with my next chapter. My husband is happy for me to stay home and take care of him. He’s pretty self sufficient and cleaning the house isn’t my favorite thing to do. I’m enjoying exploring my options-write a book, blog, explore spirituality, learn about energy healing, and how essential oils have healing properties. My girls have said that I’d make a great hippie. Well, this is my blog about this journey and maybe I’ll share a few tips along the way.
I share my home with my husband, two dogs, five cats, two ferrets (youngest daughter’s), and two chinchillas. So, I do have plenty to clean and lots of dog hair to round up. I can definitely say my life is not boring. I visit the girls about every month and they come down at least every other month or more. They live five hours away and it’s a beautiful drive, except in winter. The beauty gets overshadowed by the road conditions. So grab a cup of tea and join me on my adventures with an empty nest.