Join The Nester Club...Empty or Not So Much

I had so many responses and emails to a post I did last week about our 2 daughters going back to college. Click HERE if you'd like to read that post.

An "empty nest" doesn't necessarily mean that your kids have gone off to college. They may have moved out permanently and started a life of their own or you may be the only person at home for unforeseen circumstances, etc. An empty nest is still an empty nest.

For my husband and myself, with the girls being gone for 9 months of the year, there is a flood of mixed emotions being "Empty Nesters"...

• we miss them like crazy...they still like to hang out with us, so it's a big change for us
• are they safe and sound
• they have a car there, so that's an issue to worry about too
• cooking for a few instead of a flock of friends
• I won't miss the mess
• makeup all over the bathroom sink
• clothes all over the floor...I gave up on that
• running the dishwasher 2 times a day
• did I say we missed them like crazy

There's a hitch in my "empty nest". Our side of the house is "empty", but my 87 year old dad lives in an in-law apartment just down the hall. I think we're called "semi empty nesters" which brings another whole set of issues...

• hubby and I now have the freedom to go anywhere, but not quite...we have to find someone to stay with dad.
• worrying about whether he'll burn our house down when he leaves the stove on cooking
• or if the house will float down the street from another flood he caused (5 and counting)

Here's where the "Nester Club" starts. Are you a...

NESTER~~~kids leaving in a few years and you're getting emotionally ready
EMPTY NESTER~~~children are gone and your house is truly empty
SEMI NESTER~~~children are gone, but a parent or parents live with you or your grown children are back with you again

HOW TO JOIN THE CLUB...

• leave a comment on this post
• grab the button code on the right side bar and link back here, so we have more "Nesters"
• make sure your email is not a "No Reply". Click HERE to find out if you are
• if you don't have a blog, leave your email address in the comment so others can connect with you

Each week or so I will write a post on a "Nester" topic and we can all talk about it through the comments. I think all us "old birds" need a place to chirp...don't you!

Hope you can join,
~Karen~