Half-Empty Nest and Storm

It's been a wacky week and isn't looking too good for the week ahead!  I didn't have time to paint, or to write a blog post.  We were threatened by Isaac the tropical storm/hurricane for several days.  It finally moved further west, so we didn't see much more than rain squalls and gusty winds, fortunately.   As a precaution school was cancelled in the Tampa Bay area, and other events such as the RNC going on in Tampa were delayed a bit.  Sure sorry to see the hurricane bearing down on New Orleans and that coastline tonight...and hoping it will not be anything near the disaster that Katrina was for the people there.

This turned out to be the weekend my daughter and her boyfriend moved out of our house and into an apartment near USF.  It's been in the planning stages for several months but suddenly came together last week when they found the right place.  I shopped a lot last week to help them get some of what they need for their household.  Sunday was the big day; we were in a caravan of four cars on the way to north Tampa by 9:30 am.  Then a tire on the trailer, full of furniture and towed by a friend, began to disintegrate on the interstate near downtown Tampa, necessitating a quick exit and waiting for a new tire delivery.  Luckily it only delayed us an hour.  Wish I had a camera with me!

It's a nice little apartment and we hope they will be very happy there.  It does feel kind of sad to have one of my two kids moved away from our home, making her own home.  It's not too far away and she'll be back frequently, which will help.  

It will take awhile to get used to not having her here every day, and I know I'll miss her.  But I also know we will adjust in time.  Kids grow up and become independent, and we have to let go and trust that they will be okay.  We've been lucky to have our kids with us for so long, but we don't want to hold them back from their lives.  Our son likely won't be leaving anytime soon, so we aren't yet empty-nesters.  One step at a time....one chick at a time. 

Part of me is ready to focus on some of my own goals and needs after years of parenting being the priority in my life...but oh how I miss those years of snuggly babies, busy kids having fun, homeschooling adventures, etc.  It flies by all too quickly.  I'm so glad I got to spend so much time with them as they grew up, and they were so much fun (and still are!)  And they are such intelligent, talented, honorable, and kind young adults.  Can you tell how proud I am to be their mom?

Being a mom was my dream, even more than being an artist.  I am so lucky, because that dream came true for me, and was everything and more than I hoped for.  Recognizing this gives me hope for the dream of someday being a full time working artist too...why not? since dreams can come true!