Many years ago when friends of ours sent their last child off to university I asked, "So what's it like to have an empty nest?" I was curious as I was right in the middle of that chaos we call raising a family. I could not imagine my house without all the action that comes with five kids.
Having them all living somewhere else seemed to be far of in the distance down a very loud and busy road.
I really wondered what it would be like to have an empty my nest....
My friend smiled and replied, "Things haven't changed all that much; it's just with the kids gone, I am naked more often."
I was a little shocked and kind of embarassed so I giggled and really, deep down believed she was kidding.
Then a few months ago, Wally and I found our nest EMPTY.
There were quite a few Saturday nights when Wally and I would have sundaes for dinner and watch uninterrupted television in bed. We kind of started doing whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. I discovered that empty nesting was FUN!
Then the unexpected happened one Monday morning in March. I was downstairs in the laundry room trying to get all the laundry done before I had to head into the office. I looked down at my pajamas and realized I wanted them in the washing machine too. Without really thinking it through, I peeled out of my clothes and stuffed them in the wash, started the machine and zipped up the stairs. I was halfway to my room before I realized that my friend (all those years ago) had been absolutely RIGHT!
With five kids in the house, I had never (in 30 years) taken off my clothes anywhere except behind a locked door. I found myself giggling self consciously and then laughing right out loud as I reached my closet and quickly grabbed a robe.
Wally came out of the bathroom and looked around, "What's so funny?" he asked.
"My life is a situation comedy minus the live audience..." I answered as I grabbed my clothes and headed to my bathroom to get dressed for work.
T...M...I...!
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