All quiet on the western front....almost

One of the givens for most couples when deciding to get married is having kidlets. When it doesn't happen easily and often even when it does , it becomes the be all and end all, The Holy Grail. Once the stork brings you one or many bundles that smell deceptively delicious, the world changes and life revolves around them ....feeds , soaking nappies,organic food, toys...toys...toys........food..........toys....and not a wink of sleep for yourself.

You can only imagine what they'll be like when they grow up,even when they start school ,It seems so far away that you forget that one day you'll be just a couple again. Who is that man that stomps about the place shouting " can you please keep child number 3 off the ladder and out of my toolbox!"...."Why is child number 1 sitting on child number 's 3's head?"......."Child number 2 is covered in paint...don't let her touch...ANYTHING"........"is that glitter in my socks?"

But eventually they grow......and leave home.

Each of the leavings has been hard for me as a mum....I'm an "I like to know everything about my kids" kind of mum, and an "I really like like my kids company" kind of mum......even if they drive me nuts and I'm hiding in my room....I come out eventually.

Chloe the eldest left home a young man of 17 to go interstate to study 3d.She was staying with my 72 yr old aunt and pretty lonely. I had the other 2 at home and kept busy and daily phone calls and knowing we were moving closer when the house sold all helped.The young man is now a young woman named Chloe and although we don't speak everyday we are still close.I think she needed that space to help make her life changing decisions.

Gemma didn't leave until she was 19 and went to live in the same sharehouse Chloe was in, we chatted on the phone,I visited and she came back home when her course was finished. She had so much stuff and I had my computer in her room and we sort of went back to how it was when she was 15,so she got a place of her own around the corner.She now has a partner and because she lives so close I see her every few days.

Danny decided at 17 he wanted to move to Qld and try for work there. We bought his car so he would have some money while he was looking.I was beside myself. Empty nest syndrome. He is very independent and I had to call him all the time.He didn't NEED me! what the hell? I was like a stalker, the feeling is very much like being dumped by a narcissistic boyfriend!!! After 3 months and a bout of what was probably swine flu, he headed home again.

Now he's off again. He's been accepted into the army as an electronic warfare operator/language specialist....secret squirrel stuff. I'm going to ask him every Christmas are aliens green or brown?

In a month I will have an empty house again.

I had a look at empty nest sites and found some advice..

stay in contact but don't make a nuisance of yourself.....ok....hmmm is ringing to see how the day went...everyday...a nuisance??

If you are finding it hard not to be emotional on the phone, then send an email instead.Ha ..I don't think this kid EVER reads my emails .Can I be your friend on face book? No.

Am I going to miss these things?

doors being left unlocked

dirty dishes piling up in the bedroom and then the sink,

wet towels left lying on the bathroom floor.

Don't you want to save some of the pizza for your dad?

Wasn't there any change?

Mum...make me a sandwich

Mum...is the kitchen closed....at midnight

youbetcha!

Empty Nest (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A woman was feeling depressed.
(Her syndrome is called “empty nest.”)
Her home was too calm.
She missed being a mom—
Though her spouse “helped” by being a pest.

I