Empty Nest

It has taken nearly 37 years, but we now have an empty nest (that is, if you don't count the "four-footed kids").

Allison was the last one to leave.  Even though I hardly saw her as we worked opposite ends of the clock, I always knew she was there.  She did see her Dad everyday, though.  I thknk he misses her more than I do...

I understand some couples fear the empty nest - but I really don't understand why.  Having all the kids out means that they are all settled and stable.  As a bonus, they all seem relatively happy, too (most of the time!).

I often said that we should sell when the last kid moves out as we do not need such a big house, but I can't see us going anywhere soon.  We seem to have 'stuff' in every corner of  the house.  It will take years to toss out all the hidden treasures, as Mr. W never find a reason to throw away ANYTHING.  For now, we will stay put and just enjoy all the space.

I am so grateful to be marrried to my best friend.  How awesome is it to come home every afternoon to the one person who loves me more than anything?  We love our kids and there is nothing we would not do for them - but, for now, it is so sweet just to celebrate "our time".

Celebrating the mundane

As Mr. Wonderful continues to heal; slowly, but surely, we are settling into a sense of normalcy.

Our weeks are not dotted with doctor appointments.

Nightly dinners are no longer centered around what I can puree and add cream to in order to "up the calorie count".

There are other things to talk about with family and friends other than Mike's battle.

Storchevoy Sundays have returned where madness prevails along with good food and laughter.

Our "social calendar" is filling with happy events.

We have taken a wood delivery and have the fireplace readied for the cold months ahead.  We are looking forward to those toasty fires and serenity in the evenings.

This year has changed all of us.  I can only hope that our children recognize how precious life really is and learn to be grateful for the 'ordinary' days.

Gratitude Challenge

Reprinted from my Facebook page:

I have been nominated  to take the gratitude challenge. Each day, for the next five days, I will post three things for which I am grateful. 

Day 1

1. I am grateful for my husband - he is my strength, my soulmate, the love of my life.  

2. I am grateful for my children. They have become the best adults I know and I learn from them everyday. They make me a better person.

3. I am grateful for my extended family - (siblings, nephews, cousins) - we were all taught the true meaning of family at an early age and I am so grateful to be part of such a loving bunch of crazy people!


Day 2

1. I am grateful for my "old" friends. We have seen the best and the worst of each other throughout the years. We have stuck by each other and helped raise each other's kids. We can now revel in the joys of our grandchildren together. As the saying goes, "you can't make OLD friends". 

2. I am grateful for my "new" friends. God has put each of us together on... this path we walk for a reason. One day, we will be 'old' friends, too. 

3. I am grateful for the furry friends in my life: Brandy, the St. Bernard; Louie, the tea-cup yorkie; I.C., our 13 yr old blind cat; Pepper and Boo; the rescue cats that Mr. Wonderful picked up as dying kittens on the street; Sloan, the mutt we inherited from our daughter; and the 50 stray cats that Mr. Wonderful feeds each day. They have brought love and warmth into our home, not to mention the need for an industrial strength vacuum cleaner..... the staff at PetSmart see Mike so often, they think he works there!!

Day 3

1. I am thankful for my job. I love what I do and grateful that after 14 years, I still “whistle on my way to work” each day. I work with wonderful people who have become part of my extended family – they are like big brothers who will always watch over me.

 2. I am thankful that I believe in God. I think we all need a higher power to believe in when things here on earth go awry. I was sure to give my children a strong religious upbringing so they, too, would have the ability to give thanks, pray and find comfort in God. They all seem to have strong moral fiber and good ethics in all they do.

 3. I am thankful that we were always able to provide for our family. We always had a good roof over our heads and food to eat. We were always able to give the children all of what they needed and some of what they wanted.

Day 4

1. I am grateful to be living on Long Island, the greatest place on Earth! - We are minutes away from the water and less than an hour from NYC. I am blessed to have all my children live close by, as well. We have 4 seasons and I find something beautiful in each of them. 

2. I am thankful for the many talents that were passed down to me. Thanks to my grandmother, I can cook damn near anything. She also taught me how to iron before I was tall enough to reach an ironing board - I stood on an empty milk crate ironing handkerchiefs before I graduated to pillow cases!! Thanks to my dear Godmother who taught me to sew and crochet, also at an early age. It was when I was expecting our first granddaughter that I revived these hidden talents. 

3. I am thankful that my dad fostered a love of music in us. I can appreciate nearly all kinds of music, but my favorites are the golden oldies of yester-year - Sinatra, especially! I will forgive him for making me take accordion lessons all those years. I know I've paved my way into Heaven performing for all the relatives at family gatherings

Day 5

1. I am grateful that I am comfortable in my skin. I like who I am. I try to be a good person and make good decisions everyday. I work hard to put my head on my pillow each night knowing that I did my best each day.

2. I am thankful that we were volunteers as our children were growing up. They saw the time and effort we put into little league, scouting, religious education, and donating goods and services to all organizations. They all understand how important it is to "give back".

3. As Mr. Wonderful and I enjoy our empty nest, I am thankful that we are so content to just be together. We enjoy the mayhem when the whole gang is together just as much as we relish our quiet times. Home is the best place to be.....