One of the great joys in realizing you have raised children who can be self-sufficient is that moment when you feel like you can start going on dates again with your wife. That's where we were at last summer when the world opened up to us once more and we were able to do everything from taking in an art show in St. Joe, hiking Potato Creek, catching a Garrison Keillor show at the state fair and going away for our anniversary.
My wife and I are actually doing things that we once did before we were married, before kids, without having to pack animal crackers and bailing on a program due to stinky pants. It's like we're human again. All of this came with a realization for me, though, that these times are fleeting-that our kids have grown up way too fast, particularly as one begins driving this summer.
Still, not worrying about bedtime (well, at least not their bedtime), has its benefits. And earlier this month we went to see the Band Perry in Wabash.......on a Thursday! Would have never dreamed of that a few short years ago.
1 comment:
No doubt: these self-sufficient-kids years are golden. So were the years when the kids needed our constant attention, but in a different way.
I'm not too far away from the empty nest here, with my youngest being a junior in high school. I'm looking forward to that -- but will also miss having the boys here all the time.
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