what to do with a morning

Since my kids left home, my mornings are very strange things. When you have kids at home you don’t “choose” your morning routine. It just happens–and it usually changes every day based on who lost their shoes, who’s throwing up, or who woke up on the wrong side of the bed. But when your kids have left home, there is a strange stillness in the mornings, an invitation to make the morning whatever I want it to be…but I find it a little unsettling. Yes, my cat meows to be fed, I make coffee, my routine is set. But the reality is, it’s too quiet. It’s too stress-free sometimes.

Having no kids in the house can be exciting. After being a mom for 25 years, beginning when I was 19…I finally have all the time in the world to do what I want, to take care of myself, to exercise, be creative…but the mornings are still tough.  It’s like I don’t quite know what to do with myself. Most mornings of course, I am getting ready for my day and heading off to work. But many times these weekend mornings are a struggle, they are strange!

No great insight this morning…just an observation. I guess we forget how much things really change when our kids are gone and we have to learn new ways of living life. It’s exciting and challenging–but not always easy.

Are you an empty nest mom? What’s hard for you?