We are winding down the last days with our youngest. He joined the Navy, got the job of his dreams and will soon be graduating HS and off to start his life. Each moment we have with him feels special and fleeting.
There are indications that he is preparing himself mentally for the break. He doesn’t talk of anything permanent around here. He dutifully does his HS homework but frequently mentions his future studies which will be much more rigorous and exciting. He talks about our future visits. He is doing more for himself every single day. He is eagerly preparing for an extended bicycle tour on Hwy 101. For the first time since he was born, he does not need us for anything.
His will not be a gradual break like the one his sister has. She is in school, at the big State school which we live near. We see her often, take her food, have lots of texts and fb messages back and forth. No. His break will come and he will be gone. He isn’t coming home for the weekend. He won’t be able to text, won’t even have a phone. We won’t be picking him up and taking him to get his groceries. He is not coming home after his Basic Training. The weekend he graduates, he will go to his school which is across the Country.
There is no time to waste. He will be here one day and the very next he will be gone. As his Mom and teacher, I now spend more days alone than I have in the last 13. Since we homeschooled our two I was blessed to spend full days with them, day after day. No everything was not perfect but the relationship that was built is so close it is difficult to even articulate.
Frequently now all things are quiet in our house. I listen to the radio, spend time on my fledgling sewing business.
The truth is I AM NOT SAD. I am excited for our son. Happy to see him go. He is ready. We are ready. Yes, we will miss him. Yes, we will worry about him but this is his time to fly and our time to let go.
So as his adventure begins. So does ours, this husband and I who have the next 20-30 years together. Getting to know one another again, doing those things we have talked of doing, actually having time and money!
Living our life without children in the home. Let the adventure begin.
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