Officially empty nesters

[Hellbird]

It is a very odd feeling. I have been married for 26 years and the Mrs and I have never ever even for 1 day, lived alone, just the two of us. When we first got married we lived with her parents for the first year and our oldest was born in that same year.

 

Friday we drove our son to College and got him all moved in. He had his first Football practice and meetings on Sat. The wife and I drove back last night and got home around 1am. It has now been 12 hours with an empty house. 3 kids all grown and gone and for the first time in 26 years we are alone and it feels surreal.

 

I've only missed literally a handful of football practices in 12 years and now I can't watch. It's killing me, he got his uniform etc. yesterday and is practicing now as I write this and has a scrimmage this Friday yet I am not there.

 

26 years and the wife and I are finally alone...weird.

[Clyde]

God bless your bride.

[Hellbird]

God bless your bride.

You got that right! Now we have to actually talk to eachother!

[spindoc]

Good Luck hellbird. Get yourself a Dalton jersey, a lap dog, and enjoy your wife.

[Hellbird]

Good Luck hellbird. Get yourself a Dalton jersey, a lap dog, and enjoy your wife.

2 out of 3 ain't bad

[Clyde]

Be prepared for your wife to suggest you get some new hobbies.

[OlDog75]

Hide your tools or tell her you misplaced them.

[Bengal Maniac]

2 out of 3 ain't bad

 

What, no lap dog? It is really hard, at first, but you will find your own routines and once that gets settled in and you are beginning to find other things you enjoy (nothing will replace those moments with kids). They come back and bam!, it messes up your new routines. Not that you won't want them back, but it is different.

 

I hope you get up there a lot to see your son play! That will be fun, also.

[OlDog75]

By the way, you never really get over the football withdrawal. After my son graduated college and isn't playing ball any longer, he's now coaching. I'll stop by some of his practices and I attend some of his kids' games. Football was a part of our lives for so long, you just can't go cold turkey. I watched my son grow as a football player and an outstanding young man, it's just as great watching him develop as a coach trying to instill life's lessons he was taught to his kids.

[Hellbird]

By the way, you never really get over the football withdrawal. After my son graduated college and isn't playing ball any longer, he's now coaching. I'll stop by some of his practices and I attend some of his kids' games. Football was a part of our lives for so long, you just can't go cold turkey. I watched my son grow as a football player and an outstanding young man, it's just as great watching him develop as a coach trying to instill life's lessons he was taught to his kids.

Yea, that will be the biggest adjustment to make. He isn't one who likes to talk on the phone or tell me how it's going or anything like that. He's always been one that it's like prying information out of him just to find out how he's doing etc. So now with him so far away I will never know how it's going until I show up at games and watch him play.

 

They are in 2 a days and he did make a twitter post last night to the affect of His entire days are filled up with football and he says that's why they call it dedication. So sounds like he is non stop football now until classes start

[Beechwoodfan]

We had all 3 kids in college a few years back. We surprisingly LOVED being empty nesters. The house stays clean, you get to watch whatever you want on TV, eat foods you like,and get back to focusing on each other. No one rolls their eyes at you when you talk. No one tells you your tv is on too Loud. It was wonderful.

 

Then THEY COME BACK.! Another interesting chapter in your life.

[Hellbird]

We had all 3 kids in college a few years back. We surprisingly LOVED being empty nesters. The house stays clean, you get to watch whatever you want on TV, eat foods you like,and get back to focusing on each other. No one rolls their eyes at you when you talk. No one tells you your tv is on too Loud. It was wonderful.

 

Then THEY COME BACK.! Another interesting chapter in your life.

That is actually the very first thing I look forward to. I love my son and all, but he was a slob!!!! lol

[Just Jim]

A happy/sad moment when the kids go off to school. Dropped oldest daughter off this weekend. Two more to go. Can't imagine being an "empty nester". Congrats on making it that far.

On another note from your original post. Since I don't have any kids that play high school football. Is it common for parents to watch practices? Is it a school to school thing? From dealing with mainly basketball and baseball, I can't imagine watching practice or the coach wanting that.

[TheDeuce]

A happy/sad moment when the kids go off to school. Dropped oldest daughter off this weekend. Two more to go. Can't imagine being an "empty nester". Congrats on making it that far.

On another note from your original post. Since I don't have any kids that play high school football. Is it common for parents to watch practices? Is it a school to school thing? From dealing with mainly basketball and baseball, I can't imagine watching practice or the coach wanting that.

 

School by school thing usually.

[75center]

Similar circumstance, we take our youngest the day after tomorrow. However, it will not be totally new to us as we had 2.5 years before our oldest was born and the past summers our two youngest worked summer camps where they were only home 1pm Saturday to 10am Sunday. I'm well prepared for what's coming although my wife is not.