A New Phase of Life!

Jenni has been gone for just over 2 weeks now, and we are empty nesters. It's weird to think, and it feels so different here at home. It's so much quieter and calmer and cleaner! I remember asking my sweet mother-in-law, Charlene, with all her experience raising 14 kids, which phase is the hardest, and which phase is the funnest. She thought a moment and said that every phase has it's pros and cons. I can really see that now. So I started a mental list and have watched it grow. I call it my "What I'm going to miss", and "What I look forward to" list. Here it is:

Miss: having help taking care of this big house, splitting up jobs/chores
LFT: I don't have to ask, or check on anyone's chores . . . I could just do it myself! (it's kind of easier)

Miss: someone in another room in the house! every room but ours is empty!
LFT: a Grandkids toy room, a Mesa High room, maybe even a Mickey Mouse room!
(most likely have a Missionary room soon)

Miss: a morning schedule starting at 5:30 am makes for a longer day (yes I'm a morning person)
LFT: sleeping in until 6:00, maybe even 6:30 (I'll admit 5:30 is even too early for me)

Miss: family scriptures, all of us studying God's word together. Dad's "what" game (he'd say it in the middle of reading to see who was paying attention)
LFT: no one complaining! deeper study with Chuck (he throws in a comment or heavy sigh at times, just to help wean off the years of complaints)

Miss: family prayer, everyone taking a day to say all the prayers of that day (it was cool when there were 7 at home, one for each day of the week)
LFT: making more time for personal prayers

Miss: kids asking for money and giving them a much needed chore to be done to get it
LFT: our change jar may actually get filled now (couldn't quite understand how it never got higher)

Miss: watching responsible kids do their own laundry
LFT: a fraction of towel usage, and clean laundry room

Miss: my kids friends coming over and hanging out
LFT: seeing them at wedding receptions (sometimes their own), or running into them around town. Also maybe we'll see our friends once in a while now.

Miss: school dances (buying beautiful dresses, or matching tuxes to beautiful dresses, ordering corsages, taking pictures, etc.)
LFT: 3 more weddings!

Miss: carpools, and helping at all the schools; Johnson, Brimhall, Taylor, & MHS
LFT: my smaller car, and more time to clean out much buried rooms & closets

Miss: seeing my friends while working at the school
LFT: lasting friendships that started because we worked together as moms

Miss: Chuck calling me "MOM"
LFT: Chuck calling me "Sweetheart" or "Sweetie"

Miss: mothering
LFT: grandmothering! (and being more of a business partner to my eternal partner)

Thank you my awesome, wonderful children; CJ, Paul, Jerry, Brandee, Kyle & Jenni, for the amazing lessons YOU'VE taught me, the great people you are today, and for your return (10 fold) of the love I gave to you. It's been a grand adventure!!