Empty nest: trial period

Well, I miss Mark.  I do.  He's my baby and always will be, but he's also sort of my buddy too.  I am used to checking in with him when I get home.  We would tell each other about our days and I would ask him a few times if he had homework because I would forget to listen to his answer.  I miss him.

And with Emma here, it still feels like an empty nest.  She's a grown up girl and independent.

I came home beyond tired yesterday.  Even though I felt like I'd been planted at my desk all day, I still got over 10,000 steps on my fitbit.  Being a teacher is an active pursuit and I don't even have students yet.  We have a new math curriculum and a new phonics curriculum and my brain hurt from trying to wrap my mind around the newness.  Janelle and I made copies and plans and curriculum maps and unit learning plans.  It was a busy day.

I looked fondly at what I had planned to make for dinner and I thought, yeah, that's not going to happen.  I took Emma to Walmart with me because I needed to get some things and I needed company.  I said, "If we see something at Walmart that seems good for dinner, we'll get it, otherwise, we'll go to Wendy's."

Wendy's it was.  What did I think was going to be good for dinner at Walmart?  

Adam had church meetings so when we got home and had sent him on his way, I asked Emma if she needed me for anything.  She cheerfully said, "Nope!"

I wanted to just sit and watch a blank wall but I did have some computer work to do and I was happy that no one needed me for anything else.

So here's the thing about the empty nest:  I may be just as spotty with my homemaking and mothering practices, but I no longer feel any guilt about it.

That's something.