One at Home

Probably the best thing about this holiday season will be having our oldest son back home. We are admittedly newbies at the whole sending kids off to college thing. This was our first semester!

I know in a couple of years kids coming home for the holidays will be a routine event. But for this first holiday with one away for school, I am very stoked to go pick him up in a few weeks!

To be fair, his school is only about an hour and half down the road. We’ve seen him a couple of times this semester. But having him home, staying in his room, for a couple of weeks over the holidays will be extra special. There’s just something about the holidays that elicits memories of seemingly simpler times. I guess I am understanding more why my mom used to be so happy when I’d come home on leave from the military.

There have been a few advantages to only having one of our two children at home. We saw a noticeable decrease in our grocery and utilities bills! Of course, whatever savings we earned were quickly gobbled up in college tuition. Additionally, there have been a few poignant moments when his little brother admitted he missed his older sibling. It’s just the natural progression of things.

But at the end of the day, having only one at home has been a daily reminder that time is marching on. Life as we enjoyed it just a few years ago is gone forever and new chapters are beginning. We are a step closer to being empty nesters.

I’ve made peace with this reality and in fact, am enjoying the excitement of new beginnings as our kids transform into responsible adults. Hope I can help them on the journey.

I think having our oldest away in college has helped us value the little things we took for granted when he lived at home. The spontaneous hug, the conversations about life, sharing a meal and even just vegging in front of the TV.

Although technically still a teen, at almost 19 he is finally shedding that teenage angst phase and slowly realizing his mom and dad aren’t as crazy at they appeared through his former 16-year-old lens. The conversations are actually getting better!

Very happy that, if only just for two weeks, we will get to spend some quality time even if the interactions are different than they used to be. Someday, these moments will be very rare if not gone for good. Yeah, I think I understand my parents more now!

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