Fish Sticks

It was one year ago this week that we sent our

 oldest off for college.  She left us willingly and eager to 

begin her life of freedom and has by all accounts 

been drinking up every moment of the "good life". 

The time has FLOWN BY!

I am without a doubt very happy that Kate has 

found joy in her new life and has moved on with

 relative ease. I am however not so thrilled that this 

time in life has come upon me so fast! I can remember

 sitting my little ones around the kitchen table with

 small plastic plates holding the quintessential kids food-

 fish sticks and small cups of milk with lids

 (a must with Josh:). I would sit exhausted from a busy

 morning watching as they would use their chubby little

 hands to shove their tiny mouths full of the beloved meal. 

It seems so long ago and yet like it was yesterday! So many 

years, so much frustration and so much joy! Hours of no 

sleep and hours of soothing a little one! Days of endless 

cleaning and days of endless diapers! Comforting, teaching, 

driving, cheering, cleaning, cooking, countless hours of endless 

worry, years of unconditional love. As I plate fish sticks for 

lunch for two grown young men, it is hard to not watch them 

with a tender heart. There they sit at the table, just the

 two of them, there are no longer three. They are almost men

 now, tall with large shoes and chins needing to be shaved. 

No need for lids on their cups any longer

and the fingers grabbing the food are long and

 slender instead of short and chubby. 

They crack jokes to one another instead of playing

 with their food. It will not be long before there will 

be just one and then someday soon the table where

 they sit will be empty of fish sticks and milk. I have

 been told that being an empty nester is wonderful

and that it will be a great time in my life. I am not

 sure if that is true but as I stand to clean

the plates that hold the crumbs and watch

 my boys walk away I cannot help but think that

 no matter how hard these past 21 years have been, 

it has all been worth it!! 

I  have LOVED being a MOM! 

Joe told me the other day he is ready for Kate to find the

 right guy and get busy having kids! I think he is ready to see 

more chubby fingers grabbing at fish sticks around our table :)