An almost empty nester

I hear a lot of people lament about what will there be to do when they become empty nesters. It is true, your children, having been the central theme in your life for two decades or more, being without them can be scary. It is so important for us to attend to own interests and identity(s?) so we don't feel useless when our children leave the nest.

Watching a master do a bobbin lace

from a Fall day at the Cloisters, NYC


I imagine myself spending each day meandering through gardens, craft demonstrations, lectures, museums and stumbling upon street fairs....

and yarn fairs

and attending luncheons galore!

But I'm not an empty nester, I still have one more big guy to look after. And with all the lovely things I dream of doing and sometimes get to enjoy, there just isn't the kind of time I imagined there'd be when I sent the second son off to college...

Jonathan's first day of high school sophomore year this past September

Andrew's first day of school, kindergarten, with Jonathan standing by

Being a parent of a sophmore in high school is not for the squeamish. There are curfews to enforce, girlfriends to scare off (just kidding); serious homework to patrol and teaching them to take care of themselves - eventually

breakfast food cooking lessons

Oh yeah, there's football laundry

believe me it smelled far worse than it looked

football games every Saturday and Monday

helping to cater football pasta parties every Friday

Jonathan #86, Free Safety
Keeping my fingers crossed that there will be no trips to the ER

And all of this happened before December! Here, in this new year of 2010 I wonder what life will bring. I have a big surprise to share with you hopefully this spring but in the meanwhile, I am trying to find peace and blessings in the day to day adventures (and dilemmas) this new decade will bring.

My college student sons are growing up and away. I miss them so much but am so proud of their new wings.

One of the last pictures I took with Andrew (click on Freshman class)

My Marcus can be so mild mannered at times, but as a true gemini, there's that other guy....

and yes, there is always knitting