A preview of the empty nest...

Both boys have been away at scout camp this week. Nathan is on staff at Camp Kootauga and Jeremy is at Camp Chief Logan, where we went to visit him on Wednesday night and see him get tapped out for Order of the Arrow :-) Alex usually goes to scout camp as an adult leader, but this summer work commitments didn't allow that to happen. So instead Alex and I got to experience what life will be like in a short 26 months when Jeremy graduates from highschool.

I have to say that I LIKE IT! The house is CLEAN and QUIET. I love my boys, but they are messy and loud. (And yes there will still be one messy 'guy' at home, but I don't mind picking up after him). However, what has been the most enjoyable thing is the extended "adult time" with Alex. We've always had a bedtime for the boys so that Alex and I could have some time to connect as a couple each evening. We have dessert, or watch a tv show or movie that is inappropriate for children, and lots of times just be together in the same room. As the boys have gotten older this time has shrunk from 3 hours to sometimes less than 30 minutes each evening. At this stage in their lives they are suppose to be upstairs in their rooms at 9pm, but seems to extend itself to 9:30 and 10:00 many nights. Alex's goal is to be in bed before 10:30pm so in a best case scenerio we get a little over an hour together each night. This week, even with my volunteering at VBS in the evenings, we've at least gotten our hour plus of time each night.

I like that we haven't had to consider activity schedules this week. Don't get me wrong, I love that my boys participate(d) in scouts, sports, youth group, and now marching band. I love actively supporting them by being there at games, being adult leadership etc. but my calander squares have been bursting with color coded activities and times over the last 12 or so years. I'm looking forward to having more activities of Alex's and my choosing.

However, maybe most of all I like that I'm feeling a sense of accomplishment. Our goal as parents was to raise them to be godly young men able to go out and support themselves and be productive members of society. We are watching this come to fruition. We are seeing that our labor IS beginning to produce "Good Fruit". I will savor the next 26 months, but I'm looking forward to our empty nest.