Hi! Two weeks ago, my local newspaper ran an article about this site. Never posted before, it has taken me this long to get the courage to do so. I have been following other postings and found them informative, funny, & encouraging. So here it goes.....a little about myself...I don't admit to it to often but I am 51...I usually say I am 23...husband, two sons and a couple of cats. My job was eliminated last year so I have become a domestic diva. I am a recent semi-empty nester...one of my sons has moved away to college. Question for those empty nesters out there..does the knot in the pit of the stomach ever go away??

I don't think so. At least mine hasn't.

For years I anxiously awaited the day that I'd be an empty nester. All the wonderful things I'd be able to do! All the fun I'd have! I was counting the days. Well, somehow those things don't seem like so much fun now and I just wish I still had a houseful of kids.

We can't win.

My two boys are gone now. One married about six years ago, the other is living elsewhere but drops by here because he knows I keep chocolate milk in the small bottles, just for him. Its a bribe. He knows there's always Digiorno pizza here for him, and the milk.

I love living alone. I also love people. But I like doing what I want to, when I want to, and doing whatever I chose to do. I was married a bazillion years and went from my parents house to being a wife and then Mommy. Then, after the Big D, I raised my two boys on my own, practically. NOW, its my time. Oh Lord, I'm chasing rabbits again...sorry.

But you question was, does the worry thing ever go away? Nope. Every time I hear an ambulance I say a prayer asking God to protect my children. When they come to visit, I'm all over them. When they leave, I worry did I fix enough? Do enough? Are they well? Happy? Nourished? Its a Mother thing.

I've often laughed to myself when I start the "angst" role and think, you know... I'll be on my death bed and giving them instructions as to make sure they wear a safety belt, clean underwear in case they have a wreck, eat veggies every chance you get and stay out of fast food joints. Save your money, give back to the community, love old people and animals, be kinder to your family than you are to strangers, give thanks to God and praise him, have sympathy for others, yada...yada...yada...

JJ

Welcome! My husband's family lives in the Windsor/Essex area.

I have two boys, teenagers - oldest one is in Grade 11 so I haven't faced "empty nest" yet but I know its lurking out there around the corner

Husband and boys are off hunting this weekend, so I have the entire house to myself for the entire weekend. Just think, I can clean a room and go back into in couple of hours and it will still be clean -what a novelty

mrs maddness and jaw jaw....thanks for your answers. You confirmed once a Mom always a Mom which is really not a bad thing. I use to tell my boys when they were small and giving me a hard time that I would be their Mom even when they were 95 years old... Of course they would roll their eyes. My head tells me that I should stop all the worrying and put that energy into something positive. I haven't quite figured out what something is yet...but I will eventually. Thanks again.

Hi Evie...living with males, I never knew a room could stay clean Hope you have a nice weekend of freedom and Happy Thanksgiving!!

My biggest gripe with the "boys" (I have a husband and six sons, 5 - 20) is that they don't seem to know how to FLUSH!!!

and in my house when they do flush they think they have cleaned and santized the bathroom....lol

sorry spelling is not one of my strong points..sanitized...it is also a rare situation around here lol

Welcome to the boomer women forum, Robi8. I have 3 children and they've all moved out. I like having my house to myself (oh yeah, hubby's still here!) but I love it when the kids come to visit. I miss them terribly when they're not here. I worry about them constantly and pray for their safety.

I know I won't ever stop worrying about them, and I'll be like JawJaw, giving them instructions while on my deathbed. They'll never get too big for me to stop being a mom.