Empty Nest?!?

Tomorrow our little bird is flying away from the home nest.

Naomi found an apartment a few miles away and for the first time, she will be living on her own. Well, with her four cats, two dwarf hamsters and assorted fish. And visits from Carl, her boyfriend.

So this morning I am thinking about the year Naomi was ten years old and how I would, in my mind, see this day approaching and dread it terribly. I couldn't imagine life without our little girl in our home and in some ways, I tried to slow down Time. As I've shared with you before, I tried to memorize Naomi just as she was in any lovely moment and I attempted to stay awake to all good things concerning her.

But still, Time shot past my head like an arrow.

I look back now, though, and understand perfectly why I was horrified of the thought of Naomi leaving at age 10. While Naomi was a little child, God had not even begun to send Grace to help me release our daughter into the Real World. And without Grace, there is only struggle, hardship and fear. It's never a good idea to toy with anything futuristic without Grace by your side.

So the burning question now becomes-- will Tom and I be left with an empty nest tomorrow?

Are you kidding? Our house will still be full beyond measure. Within these walls you will find:

Tom and I
Our two cats, Lennon and McCartney
My mouse, Brownie
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Grace
Our guardian angels
You, my blogger friends
You, my other friends I share with online
Future visits from Naomi and Carl
Future visits from friends in town and out-of-state
Friends from the pages of my hundreds of books
Friends from The Dick Van Dyke Show
Friends from Andy and Barney's Mayberry
Friends from my Old Radio Show cassettes
Marvelous music like Classical and Big Band era
The Paper Boy, DHL Guy, Meter Readers and the UPS Man-- all at the door
And hundreds of lovely memories of years gone by


Oh my! Naomi will be missed, yet you'll find no Empty Nest Syndrome here.

Our house will be much, much too full for any sort of emptiness.


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I left a comment for those of you who wished me a happy birthday, but I just wanted to say thank-you again here. While Tom and I spent my birthday visiting a nearby town and window-shopping... and bringing home lunch and watching a movie... and just spending the day together relaxing, I thought of all your birthday wishes and smiled, smiled, smiled with a very happy heart. Thanks so much!

Oh, and a very happy Saint Patrick's Day to each of you! If you are not wearing a bit of green, here is a pinch on your arm. :)

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