Empty-Nest

August 2018 was our official initiation into empty-nesthood. But two months after our youngest child went to college, our oldest son moved back in. We both admitted we were relieved. We weren’t yet ready to be set free, our identities still attached to parenthood. Plus, it was just nice to have him home. Our son moved out last June. Our youngest arrived home for the summer. We loved (most) every minute of her being with us. And then a few days ago, she left again for college, and finally, it seemed we were ready. We came to the beach. We read. We caught up on things big and small we’d been meaning to tell each other. We swam. We watched a movie and relaxed into this new (yet long and comfortable) relationship.