An Aerial View

Ft. Myers, Florida

From the plane over Ft. Myers/Cape Coral Florida

An Aerial View - or hindsight is always 20/20!!

Looking at these shots over Ft. Myers,Fl you can see where the roads and water ways lead. I wish when our kids were young I too had this view of their life. There are big things and little things too. 

A little thing occurred to me today - I have had many little things that have occurred since we started having kids leave the house. 

We have 2 kids who are here 80% of the time or more. This causes us to look around and see what is needed and what is not. What is being eaten or needed and what is not!!

First of all do you know how much less groceries are needed for a family of 3 1/2 compared to a family of 6? I say 3 1/2  because although Kyle still lives here, he is not home much of the time.

I found out soon after Tyler headed off to school that not ALL my kids like Chex Mix. I could not buy the BIG bags at Sam's fast enough! They were eaten so fast! Well a couple weeks after Tyler left I noticed we had a couple BIG bags unopened in the pantry. This is when I found out - Tyler was the one who REALLY likes Chex Mix. Actually two of my kids do not care for it!! HUMM!!!

The most recent thing we discovered - is I could not keep storage containers in the cabinet. This has over the last year gotten better. However, today as I was putting dishes away and my storage containers seemed to have grown in number. Really? Grown? How can this happen? Humm, the one child left in school and who carries a lunch everyday would rather have sandwiches! She is not a fan of leftovers! She prefers salads from Sam's and sandwiches to anything for lunch!! 

Well, now I am thinking it's time to clean out my cabinets. Time to scale way down on food purchased, containers bought, dishes washed. This actually makes my heart sad and yet happy! 

Really why did no one sit me down and talk about these years when kids start leaving the house. And I am not talking about the "hooray, the kids are gone!" 

I actually over heard a lady say to a mom this weekend - "Is she (a freshman in high school) your last?" 

The women said, "Yes."

 First women responds "Your almost done!"

The women says "Yeah, but the grandkids keep coming!"

I wanted to say - "Really, Are you kidding?"

We only have so few of years and what a waste to wish them away! OK, wrong subject! 

As kids leave the home whether for  school or to be a grown up there is these awkward times. The house seems crazy quiet. A home that was full of laughter and tears is now a quiet solace. A time where you would hear, "Don't touch me! MOM!!!" now becomes a time where I am calling "Hello, anyone home!" A time where movie night was a time to learn to take turns and talk about movie choices to a time where one picks and we watch! A time when dinner is set by me because if I asked I would get four different suggestions, to a time where I ask "What would you like for dinner?"

Times are changing and I am discovering lots of new things - mainly who has done what and who likes what in the home!! I know as soon as I figure it out, it will all change!! 

1 Chronicles 16:12 (NASB)

 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,

His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,