Hobbits8 - The End of an Era

Hobbits8

Aug. 9, 2006

The End of an Era

Well, we've come to another milestone in life. Six years ago my oldest son went off to college in Idaho-- two years later moving on to Rolla, MO. It still felt like he lived at home since he was home for holidays and summers, and many of his belongings still were here. He had a bedroom to come home to. Two years later Ben left for college in Ohio; two years later he also ended up in Rolla, MO. It wasn't 'til the last two years of college that the boys weren't home in the summer.

When my kids left for college, I was excited enough for them that I didn't think of sorrowing over a loss of not having them at home. I missed them, of course, but I was excited for their new opportunities. But it was a bit of a shock the first summer that they had internships when they came home for a short visit but then moved to their respective summer locations two summers ago. That's when if felt as if they were gone from home....but not quite since they still had things here. Since Nate married in December, I could no longer harbor any delusions that he lived at home any more although he still had some things here since they were living in a very tiny house.

Just this last week the final notes have sounded. Nate and Amy came to get the rest of Nate's belongings over the weekend since they will be moving to State College, Pennsylvania for graduate school. Tonight I'm packing up Ben's books in preparation for loading up the rest of his belongings tomorrow night to leave on Friday for Lafayette, Indiana where Ben has just purchased a house. I guess buying a house really means he doesn't live here anymore.

I am still very excited for the boys, but also a little sad. However, we move on to a new phase in life. It just so happens that the boys will be in areas near which we had ancestors. So I'm looking forward to new places to visit, new people to see (okay...so they're dead), and kids to drop in on.

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Comments

Aug. 11, 2006 - Kids flying the coop.

Posted by recon77

I understand how you feel. We homeschooled our kids (2) through it all. Now, my youngest is married and both are out of the house. So, how have we coped? Well, my wife, Sharon and I have gone back to school. I'm back in grad. school and my wife in nursing. Also, we joined a local square dancing club and now I am the president.

It can be quite lonely without our kids at times but it is a new and different life. It can be bittersweet. One of the things I hope we can do is be more involved in other people's lives, in serving, and in our church.

John

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Aug. 14, 2006 - Serving

Posted by Hobbits8

Thanks, John, for the thoughts. Since I still have three kids left to graduate, I have a while before I have an empty nest. You sound like you've gotten a great combination of the intellectual, physical, and spiritual with the choices in what you're doing with your time.

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About Me

I am the 48-year-old homeschooling mother of six children residing on 40 acres in the Ozarks of Missouri. I plan to write about odds and ends of things related to education, history, theology, genealogy, and my kids, of course. My husband is the owner of Clever Welding, a portable welding business.