Empty Nesters....The Celebration of New Beginnings.... August 2018

We became empty nesters about a week ago. I asked my husband

to make a sign for us and our daughter took our photo with it this week.

I got this idea while googling "Empty Nest", and I liked it.

I've been pondering our married life and life with children for awhile now.

22 years ago there was a kind of young couple in love.

I dreamt of a family.  We dreamt of a family. 

We dreamt of having seven children. 

We were blessed with two.  God knew the right amount for us.

Two became three. I'm not sure how anything got done

I was so in love with my little boy.

I look so young in these photos.  

Then three became four.  I so wanted a little girl. 

I wanted to do all the things with her that I had done with my mom.

All those fun girl things. We did many of them too.  

Girls days out, shopping, sharing books.

Life was busy with young children. I'll admit I focused more on 

those two children for many years than I did on my husband.

I loved being an at home mom.  It was very fulfilling.

I wouldn't trade those days for anything.

My little babies grew into young children, and off to school they went.

I cried.  I missed them.  That was when I realized that they would leave someday.

That was when I began thinking, what do I want to be when my 

children grow up and leave me. That's when I started working again.

First it was a part time job. 

I loved that first get me out of the house job of being a Librarian Assistant.

It was nice to have a bigger social circle.  It was nice to have

adult conversation with someone other than my husband. 

I love all these photo's we did over the years.

I love looking back and seeing my family growing, changing.

From babies, to young children, to pre-teens,

to teenagers. We have wonderful photos and memories.

Then it happened.  Our baby boy graduated. I kept asking "don't you want

to shrink down and start again?"  He would say "No Mom, that's not how it works."

I like this photo.  They are both on the cusp of leaving. Our son was preparing for a mission,

our daughter heading into her senior year of high school. 

I think a few years before this I realized I needed to switch my focus. 

I started reading books on strengthening your marriage.

I started looking at my marriage and husband and deciding where I wanted my life 

after children to go.  I started making empty nest plans.  Don't wait for the empty nest to 

reevaluate your life.  Start before it.  I should have started even sooner than I did.

Work on your marriage always, keep it strong.  It's sometimes 

a full time job.

I raised this really bright caring young man.  He has these dreams. 

His first dream was to serve a mission. This is a few days before he left.

It's hard letting a child leave the nest.  I think it's hard for them to leave.

My son did it though.  He got on that plane and flew to Mexico.

That is something to celebrate.  Your child heading off to chase a dream.

The first Christmas card with one child off on their adventure.

Then child two is preparing her departure. 

She has watched my son leave and looks for that freedom.

My independent head strong child.  Watch out world she is ready to 

experience new things.  Senior year was hard, and I'll admit I let her skip school

often.  I wasn't worried as she continually maintained a 4.0 GPA.

The summer of getting ready for college.  I think Colleges should realize

that an 18 year old is not totally an adult and let parents see things,

like the bill, the rules, the move in date.  The most stress 

was trying to get my daughter to learn how to look these things up and 

work with me to get things done. 

Packed up and ready to move into the dorms.

I was ready for this day.  I planned things to do after we dropped our daughter off.

We kept busy the first few days of having an empty nest.

The house was very quiet.  They are off, but know that we are here when they need us.

They do still need us. 

So we have gone from two, to three, to four, to three, to two.

I'm excited for this new adventure. 

This past year I have planned and taken my husband on a weekly date.

I have set up more projects than I have time to do.  I'm excited to have some 

time for myself, time with my husband, and time for my children when they come home 

to visit.  

Of course I also have to make time for my fur baby.

we may get a kitten to keep her company.

22 years and more to go.  I like the song by Alan Jackson

"Remember When" 

"and when the children grow up and move away, we won't be sad

we'll be glad, for all the life we've had.  And we'll remember when."

Not only do we have great memories to remember, we still have many great memories to make.

So the empty nest is not a sad moment, it's a celebration of the changing dynamics of 

our family.  I'm looking forward to the adventures awaiting us.

G.G.

If you are an empty nester what did you do when your children left?

My Weekly Walk at the Gardens.....Week 13 June 25, 2018 ..Lilies of all Colors and sizes are blooming

It's getting hotter in Utah and if I don't get a morning

off for my walk, the afternoon walks are really hot.

I'm determined to walk every week. 

The Shasta Daisies are looking so nice this week.

Gazinia flowers are one of my favorite flowers. They open when

the sun is hot and close at night.

I think these might be Holly Hocks.  They are

actually pretty short plants.

Dianthus.

I like how they have put white Petunias 

around this big tree. I love the 

gardening ideas you can get from walking here.

I may try something like this at my house next year.

I've probably already said this but I never realized

how long Snap Dragons bloom for.  I'm going

to try to plant them in my garden next year.

I'm not sure what this flowers is. I didn't get 

the greatest photo either.  It looks like 

a tree with a flower. I've bought a new

flower identification book so I hope it helps me 

learn about all these different flowers and plants.

My husband thinks the statue of the girl should be 

in the water. I think it looks good.

There are different Lilies all through the garden. 

These are so beautiful.

Lonely Duck. I didn't see the geese and their children

this week.  I wonder if they have left.

The different stages of a water lily.

The Roses are past their peak blooming.  There are still

some pretty roses though.

The Fragrance Garden.

Sweet peas.

Evening Prim Rose.

Now wandering around the Secret Garden.

I think this plant is interesting.

The Italian Garden.

Zinnia's are another plant that blooms a long time.

I like how a lot of the edges of the walk ways have 

Zinnias.

I don't go into the Light of Christ section often.

I have only so much time to walk and I stick to 

where the flowers are, although there are flowers in this section too.

I did try to video the grass waving in front of this statue.  It's supposed

to give the effect of the Savior walking on water.

It's nice to sit here by the water falls and listen to the water.

There is something soothing about listening to water flowing.

These are pretty flowers, they are part 

of the Water Wise Garden. 

I've walked every week for 13 weeks and 

I still find new flowers, and changes in the gardens.

They are such a beautiful place to spend an afternoon or morning.

In the Summer Morning is the better time to walk.

G.G.

Do you have a favorite flower ?