I am 10 years older than most of the people on this board, so my problems are different as they are associated with my stage of life. Two years ago when my H was having an affair and I was dealing with that crisis, we still had 2 kids at home and one off at college. Now I think my H and I have determined that we will stay married for the rest of our lives. We no longer feel like we would make good swinging singles. So it is time to start growing old together.
Now we come to a time that I never fully anticipated -- the empty nest syndrome. Today my S19, who finished high school in June informed me that when the summer is over, he is not planning to come back home. He is working as a lifeguard for the 4th summer at a beach in NJ, and he intends to stay there. Now look at your 2 year olds and imagine that they told you that. That's how I feel. This was my little baby. The one who clung to me the most. The one who loved Mommy so much and loved my cooking. The one I didn't ever imagine growing up. I got used to the idea that he had stubble on his face and he wouldn't let me kiss him or kiss his belly anymore. But I wasn't ready for this.
And I know this doesn't make sense, but the worse news is that my S24, who fought me all his life and never wanted to be around me, has moved back home. He is living in all 3 children's bedrooms and driving me nuts with his temper tantrums that he never outgrew.
And my sweet beautiful daughter who I raised to be the spitting image of me, and is nothing like me at all, only visits occasionally.
Life is never what you imagine it will be, even if you take the time to imagine it.
