After 2 1/2 years of having “left home”, my youngest daughter is moving back to the Nest this week.
I have quite mixed feelings about this. I will explain.
My initial reaction is of complete happiness and a warm, “snuggle-up-in-something-comfortable” feeling in my heart. When either of our girls come home I am constantly smiling for at least the first 24 hours – normally way longer. We will get to enjoy her wit, sarcasm, energy and love flowing through the family nest on a regular basis which is something that makes me so very happy.
Then there’s the flip side.
It’s not forever (nor should it be) and the day will come when she moves out and on with her life, so my heart will go through that aching-falling-apart all over again.
Or maybe not? Maybe she’ll steal too many of my clothes, hair brushes and make-up, eat up all my leftovers that I was saving for a meal at work, take my special shampoo out of the shower (that I’ll discover when I’m soaking wet and now there’s no shampoo in the shower), or steal my husbands comfy sweaters and sweat-pants and leave her “crap” all over the house and I’ll have to listen to him rant-on about it!
Somehow I think the above “cons” will be irrelevant in the end and I will be so content for her to stay as long as she likes.
However, to grow and move on -as our children should do, the time will come for her to fly the nest – again.
For the meantime though,I’ll just have fun with her here – do our goofy dancing, join her in teasing my husband about his eccentricities that we love him for, and generally just lap-up having her around.
Or maybe I’ll grow up and move on myself and come to terms with the fact that our kids need to explore and forge ahead with their own lives. Hopefully I’ll find that thing in my life that takes away this blue feeling of being an Empty Nester that I’m still searching for.
Keep reading and I’ll keep you posted……..
The Evolving Empty Nester 
Love this post Kim! I can totally relate and even though I know it’s going to be two weeks (or sometimes four months) of mess and noise and arguments and more difficult meal prep, I’m always excited to have them home. I love the daily hugs and lively conversations and the knowledge they are tucked safely in their beds. Over time and multiple visits home from uni, I’ve also become happy to see them go again haha! I started to really appreciate the peace and simplicity of the empty nest and I know they are off on their own amazing adventures and they are always just a phone call away ❤️ Enjoy your time with the girl!
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