Parents are cleaning, marketing, fluffing up the bedroom pillows and yakking on the phone with friends about how excited they are that their children will be home this week.

What has been sleeping is awakened with the joy of having children back home.

You hope the plane isn’t delayed, but that is just part of the home coming. Favorite foods in the pantry and refrigerator and thoughts of their friends stopping by like high school days.

The anticipation is like shopping and planning for a wonderful warm vacation.

A mother said to me, “yes, they are coming home for spring break, but their breaks are at different times. We are disappointed that we can’t do a family vacation together but will at least have time with each one.”

This is the first time that our family has no spring break on the calendar. After years of anticipation and planning, that instantly disappears since she graduated college. No spring breaks.

I am feeling left out of what seemed to be a lifetime fun time with my daughter….spring break…with us, not with us, off with friends, exhaustion from exams, her friends popping in with stories and eating in the kitchen, friends and family calling excited to see her.

During her college years, she would call at airplane layover’s, sometimes saying, “Mom, the plane is delayed but I can’t wait to be home.”

My role of nurturer falls into place with no rehearsal. “Do you have enough money to get something at the airport while you are waiting? I have lentil tomato soup on the stove and cornbread…all with vegetable stock. I tried a new vegetarian recipe. Can’t wait to hug you. Call again when you board. See you soon. You are almost home, sweetie.” Then I get misty-eyed after I hang up the phone and walk into her room to see if it looks fresh. Do I put the teddy bear on the bed or is she too old for that? Well, I will just put it there and take the risk of being foolish.

Who doesn’t love time with their children? Well, so goes change. Some of her friends are working and others are in grad school. My nephew will be coming home for spring break, his freshman year, so that is a good thing.

I’m looking ahead to planning Passover at my home with my almost 88 year old mother and family: aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, siblings, etc…and of course, my daughter, who will probably be bringing new friends from her work and new home town about two hours away.

Natalie
natalie@emptynestsupport.com