Bye Bye Love or Hello Happiness?

Are empty nesters happier once their children fly the coop?  According to Britain's Daily Mail, you too "might just start feeling richer, fitter and sexier". 

Our family 2005 the year our first born left home for his freshman year in college

Okay, I'll buy that.  In fact, there's no doubt in my mind.  While I love my sons dearly, when they were both out of the house, my husband and I were happy, extremely happy.  It was kinda that feeling we would get when we'd drop them at summer camp each year.  We'd say "buh bye" and they'd be standing there waving and we'd be waving and, as soon as they were out of sight, we'd start with the high fives and the "What'll we do for the next few weeks while they're gone?" fantasies. 

One of the first things we like to do is...run around naked.  Now, don't say "ewwwww".  I bet many couples like to run around naked.  Not so much because it's sexy but because, with the kids out, you CAN.  Another is to not worry about dinner til you're hungry, if at all.  No nutritional issues now that the kids are grown.  I mean, if you just want to eat salads every night & drink wine, you don't have to make a second more nutritious meal for the children. 

We can sleep.  No lying awake nights waiting for them to come home from whatever they have been up to.  No worries.  No matter where they are, they are not in your face with it any longer.  Plus, I never could sleep worth a damn until I knew they were safe and sound in their beds. 

The pets eat on time again.  It was always a struggle to get the poor dogs & cat fed by 6:30pm.  You'd think I was asking them to dig a ditch.  And the squabbles over whose "turn is it?" 

We have clean drinking glasses in the cupboards again.  It seems like every time we wanted a glass, they were all dirty and in their room.  I'd go up there and find aat least 4-6 empty, dirty glasses in the room.  Why couldn't they carry them downstairs and put them in the dishwash so we'd have some clean ones?  Huh?

There's hot water left over, the electrical fees have gone down, we have the use of our washing machine back and the dryer is empty and may be used.  Kids leave every light & computer on in the place.  They take showers lasting a minimum ten minutes, usually twenty.  The washer & dryer are always in use...by them. 

Oh yes, we miss them but in a good way.  We miss their exuberance and their presence in our lives and their smiles and laughter & joy.  We don't miss the coming & going, the phone calls past 11pm, the constant activity and boistrous bellowing.  We don't miss dragging them out of bed at 11am in the morning.  

My husband and I get along better than we have in years.  How many years?  Oh, I'd say about 22...since the second "little Angel" was born.