August 15, 2007 @ 4:16 am | Filed under: Motherhood

It’s 5:30 in the morning and I’m up early, knowing that Round Two of The Moves is just ahead. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee downstairs is luring me and I’ll sit in the quiet, still dark living room and enjoy a couple of cups before pulling on my workout clothes and putting today’s walk behind me.

My morning prayers have been whispered as well, in the stillness of my bedroom, as I awoke with, both, a sense of delightful anticipation and a sad pang of…well, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

Today Jorge moves to his own College Town and today will probably go much like Monday did. The exception is that, for this drive, Jorge will be in the car with me and we will have HOURS to talk on the way. Don’t you know he’s going to love that? Don’t ALL eighteen year olds love this kind of trapped-and-can’t-get-out-cause-we’re-driving kind of conversations with their moms?

But in all honesty, all the heavy conversations are behind us. The past weeks and months have been dotted with conversations around our house. Conversations where we’ve given advice, shared tips, communicated concerns, and mostly just tried to prepare this second son for the adventure that awaits him.

So now he’s ready and, amazingly, so am I. Though I can’t deny the tears that refused to stay bottle any longer last night and I gave in and let my heart and mind explore the changes that are enveloping our family and our home, when the tears dried and my heart was still, I only felt joy.

Deep, true joy. Jorge will be fine. This next step in his life will mold him and help to shape him and his future. And I will still be right here, always ready to talk whenever and wherever he might need me.

In the meantime, I’m doing my best to take a step back and let him grow up and venture out, knowing that we’ve instilled in him a deep faith and equipped him with an everlasting hope.

And as for this Empty Nest thing, well as someone so aptly put it, "how can a nest be empty if it’s filled with good things?" And my nest is filled with many, many wonderfully enticing things. Love, hope, friendship and a safe place for us all.

So, Mike Baby, when I pick you up at the airport tonight, I’ll be the woman with the party hat stuck on her head and the big, goofy grin on her face, okay?

Let’s get this adventure started!