Christmas time is ALWAYS a little different

Last year we already knew that Sarah would be gone for this Christmas.  Even knowing that; we did something different last year and we were apart for Christmas.  Maybe we were testing the waters as to how we would feel for this Christmas?  I don't know, but I do know that we all had a wonderful holiday even if we weren't together.  Do I expect the same this year?  Yes and no.  I know that the people that Zach, Brian and I will be with for the next couple of days and weeks will be fun, wonderful and a pleasure to be with.  I know food will be plentiful, beverages flowing, conversations entertaining and traveling fun.  We are returning to places that we have been to often and love and we look forward to the familiarity of that.  What I DON'T know is what Sarah will be doing and that makes it tough.  Even Sarah doesn't really know what she will be doing.  In her host home they do not decorate a tree until Christmas Eve so she hasn't done that and it doesn't feel very festive yet.  Her host family has not told her what they will do for Christmas Day.  I am sure that her host parents will make it a warm and nice holiday but Sarah is not feeling much enthusiasm so that makes it hard.  I DO know that right after Christmas Sarah gets to have 3 days of ski lessons and skiing and that for the new year she will be traveling to her host mother's family home near the Austrian border.  These will be new and hopefully VERY FUN experiences to anticipate.  Plus, of course, the awesome gifts we sent for her to open on Christmas Day!

Someone recently asked me if it was hard for me right now with Sarah gone and it being the holidays.  I said no, not really, it isn't any harder then any other day. When I know she is having a hard time with either homesickness or illness or difficulties with her family or the language I feel for her and miss her.  I want to be able to FIX things for her, but I can't of course and that is part of this whole exchange for both of us!  I wouldn't let her give it up just because we miss each other.  I am in awe that my daughter has taken on this amazing, difficult, exciting, demanding path in her life.  She has already grown so much because of it and will continue to become more and more of a "global student" and mature young lady as the year continues. 

Zach returned from MSU for Christmas break last Wednesday.  I didn't see him for 4 days.  When he was finally home for a day it was great to see him and talk to him.  I look forward to spending 2 weeks with him and Brian away from the every day life here at home.  I don't feel like I am back to being a "nester" because he is home.  He is going to be 19 years old on Friday - my "best Christmas gift ever".  He is a wonderful, fun, funny young man.  He is challenging at times, he WAS challenging at times; maybe because of that we have a pretty excellent adult relationship.  I want to think so at least!

Make the most of the WHERE you are and WHO you are with!  Merry Christmas to you, wherever you are this holiday season. 

This Was Going To Be Titled Baby Steps

I have been thinking about this blog and what I wanted to write for almost a full month.  At the beginning of the month I made some really good changes in my life.  I made some choices that were hard but I now feel great with them.  I was taking "baby steps" towards change.  But, every time I decided to write about it I decided it was to personal or boring or not worth writing about.  So now I am writing my Thanksgiving "I Am Thankful" Blog... and these will be listed in no apparent order and some things I am thankful for will be left out because I forgot. 

This year there will be only 3 of us sitting around the Thanksgiving (kitchen) table.  In the past we have joined or been joined by others and have gone around the table saying what we are thankful for.  NOT sure if that will happen this year.  A couple of years ago we were at a friend's house for Thanksgiving and I remember waiting as each person said the ONE thing they were thankful for, what was I going to say?  I didn't want it to be corny or cliched.  I said "my house" and started tearing up.  My house?  Really?  At the time, yes, I was grateful that we were in our own house.  Now we are in a wonderful house at Camp Echo and the house I was so grateful for is a rental in town that we can't sell.   I mention this to say that things that we are thankful for one year may not be the #1 shout out in coming years!  I also mention this so that it can be understood that THIS YEAR I am thankful for:

- Brian, for being a wonderful husband and a great friend that I get to hang out with all of the time.  I am glad that after 20+ years we are still such good friends.  I love him
- Zach, for being a really great son.  I feel like he has matured and "grown into" himself over the last couple of months and I really like what I see and hear.  I am so proud of him and I love him.
- Sarah, for taking the risk and changing her whole life by moving to Germany for a year.  I have one independent, mature daughter.  We chat often so she knows how proud I am of her and I love her.

Those are the big three in my life.  I, of course have many more people that I am thankful for:  my parents, who are always just a phone call away.  They have helped me and my family in so many ways over so many years, being thankful for them doesn't really describe it!  I have a great family, we all get along and see each other when time and proximity allows.  My friends: man, I am SO lucky to have some of the best friends in the world.  Talk about having people you can always depend on, I've got them and I am so thankful!  

I am thankful:
- that my 13 year old dog gets up every morning and still enjoys a good walk
- that I have animals in my life
- that I gave up all but 1 Diet Coke a day (maybe 2 on a sleepy day)
- that I have a job that I like
- that I live where I live
- that I have stopped drinking wine
- that I can cook
- that I have started making decisions based on what I want
- that MSU accepted Zach and Zach accepted back
- for Rotary International
- for SKYPE and Facebook
- that I am happy and content

I think that is a small sampling of what I am thankful for this year.  It is a lot more then I would have said if I was asked around this year's Thanksgiving dinner table.  I know that it doesn't matter year to year who I am eating with at the "big holiday meals".  I will always be more thankful for the Who's in my life rather then the What's.  Happy Thanksgiving family and friends!

journaling and the weekend

Weeks, they just keep flying by...I have been "chatting" with Sarah almost everyday through Facebook, Skype or email.  Neither one of us think of it as a "crutch" just a way to say hey.  Today she left for Berlin for a week.  This will be the longest we haven't communicated since she left.  I told her to write everything down because in years to come she will appreciate the memories.  This got me to thinking... Sarah has been writing in her journal regularly, I know because she has asked us to send a 2nd one as she will run out of paper shortly.  She has mentioned that she doesn't write everything down that she is thinking or feeling because some day she wants me to read her journal.  I don't think that it is a bad thing to NOT write all your thoughts down.  Some inner thoughts or contemplations are just meant for yourself.  This blog is kind of like a journal for me.  I want to share some thoughts and activities that have been happening.  I certainly wouldn't write all of my thoughts or feeling in a blog for all to see.  I wouldn't even write all my thoughts in a "private" journal!  I have kept a journal two times in my life.  Both of my trips to Europe are documented.  I would like to say well documented but I reread them this weekend and parts are pretty weak!  BUT... they did bring back great memories.  I think I may pick up a journal again.  Not to write in daily but maybe so that I can write stuff down so I won't forget. (I don't have Alzheimer's, but I do have a horrible memory!)  We have been doing some fun stuff lately.  I may even write down stuff that happened awhile ago, our trip to Mexico was amazing, Disney World was amazing, weeks spent with friends and family have been amazing.  I should not depend on my memory.

This weekend I spent on my own!  Brian went to MSU to pick up Zach and they headed to Iowa to visit with Aunt Mary and the family, see some camp people that are at the University and get away for the weekend.  I had an excellent time!  Friday I never left the house, I actually never even got out of my sweatpants!  I watched two movies, took the dogs for a nice long walk and read my book.  I did not do a minute of housework!  Saturday I had to work for a couple of hours then I watched two movies, the MSU game (sad) and read my book!  I vacuumed only because the dog hair was driving me crazy!  So far today I have read my book, took the dogs for a walk and hung out on the Internet.  Why is it that it took a weekend by myself to figure out that I don't have to stay busy, keep the house in order and do, do, do?  It's not like Brian expects me to be spending my time off cleaning, the kids don't care.  So, new goal... chill out on weekends.  I don't have to do... I can just be (deep, right?) and I will write about it!  Julie

I think of the weeks through weekends

The weeks that have passed since the kids have been gone can so far all be measured by what we have done on the weekends.  It has been fun, and eye opening.  I have talked about most of them except last weekend and this past weekend.  I am going to touch base on those because in their own way they had a lot to do with the Sarah and Zach. 

Two weekends ago on Sunday Brian and I decided to go for a drive straight East - it was beautiful out and the trees were at peak colors, we got to Bay City, went to State Recreation Area and then decided to go to Frankenmuth (Little Bavaria).  As we were driving there Brian had on his German accent (laugh out loud) and once we got there we took pictures of all things German, we even tried to recreate a photo or two that Sarah had sent us!  Although we were clearly not in Germany with Sarah and there was a "park like" quality to the whole town it made us think and talk about her all day.  How "wowed" we are by the things she is doing.  How proud we are of her for taking this leap.  How excited we are for her future plans for this coming year and yes, how jealous we are that she gets to do all this great stuff!  We are so darn happy for her.  We ate cheese, sausage, pastry and had a great day.  It did not give us a sense of longing to see her but just gave us happy thoughts and stories.  Not being able to Skype, that was really difficult, especially as the days went by and we all tried and COULD NOT MAKE IT WORK!  Finally today, yes today, I was able to Skype with Sarah and all is right with the world.  I look forward for Brian and Sarah having that same time very soon.

This past weekend we went to visit Zach at MSU.  On Saturday we had tickets to the Homecoming football game.  We arrived at 10:00am and I was immediately overwhelmed by the shear volume of people!  70,000 people and I believe they were all at one tailgate or another.  The quantity of food and beer that was being consumed at 10:00am was madness.  We had touched base with Zach but knew we wouldn't see him until after the game since he had student section seats.  Brian and I got to our seats and I knew I would not be moving again until the end of the game - 69 rows up and packed like sardines!  AWESOME game though as MSU came away with a win and are currently undefeated!  Zach found us at 1/2 time to say hey - what a wonderful feeling I had just giving him a quick hug.  I hadn't seen him in 6 weeks!  I could go on to all of the details but then this would go for pages rather then paragraphs.  Zach had no plans other then to be with us until we left on Sunday.  My boy has grown up. It was so fun to be with him and great to hear about school, classes, exploits (I am sure there are some we don't even want to know about!) and people he has gotten to know.  Mostly it was good to see with him and hang with him.  I really think that Zach has found a sense of calm at a school of 45,000.  I hope that he succeeds and continues at MSU, he certainly seems like he is on his way.  I left yesterday loving the son we raised very much!  I look forward to being with him at Thanksgiving.  I am grateful that he and Brian get to have a guys weekend in a couple of weeks.

Here is something that didn't REALLY occur to me until we got home last night.  I am not the only empty-nester in our house!  That may sound dumb or selfish but when I thought about writing this blog I thought about what I would be going through or feeling.  It took Brian finding me last night while I was putting stuff away to remind me that I am not the only one going through this.  Now, I won't talk about Brian's feelings because that is not my place (too much), but... the house feels "empty" after returning from a great visit.  It's quiet.  Brian was able to say that, he misses the kids.  He likes to hang out with his kids.  Me too.

True Friends

I got to spend the weekend with my best friends in the world this past weekend and it's not because I am an "emptynester".  We get together as much as we can in any given year.  We call ourselves the BIG F friends.  We are friends that know A LOT about each other but love each other anyway.  We go back a LONG way, almost 40 years for some of us, as little as 27 years for others. 

In the midst of card playing, laughing, drinking and eating this weekend we also read a letter that Sarah left for us before she departed for Germany.  I won't go into great detail of the letter but the "gist" was that Sarah looks to these friends as "aunts", "other mothers" and friends, they have always been a part of her life.  She mentioned in the letter that she was at times jealous of the friendship that we have.  She looks to our friendships when she creates bonds with new people.  And of course, she mentioned that she expects all of my friends to be there for me and take care of me if I get down about her being gone.  Duh, of course they will be there!

Here is what I want to say to her.  It takes work to develop friendships like we have and it takes time.  There have been literally years when have not all seen each other.  There have been years when others have gotten together and I wasn't there.  They were able to develop relationships that I wasn't even part of.  That doesn't matter.  We have a commitment to each other to stay in touch and stay friends.  Time and distance don't matter after awhile.  When we get together it is like we haven't been apart.  We might look a little different (Mary is still thrown by the fact that I no longer have platinum blond hair). The internet is an amazing thing.  We can see each other, each others family, comment quickly on something someone has done or posted a picture of.  I think that has certainly helped in the last few years, but I did mention that we have been friends for 30+ years, long before we were all messing with email and Facebook.

I am a very lucky woman to have these wonderful woman in my life.  We will always have each others back, help when we are needed, seek help when we need it.  There are others in my life that I can count on of course.  I have an amazing husband and great parents, a brother I can count on, a son and daughter who will take care of me in my old age and lots of wonderful friends but I also have 6 other women that I can call my sisters.  I love them, they know that but I wanted to say it again.

It's my birthday!

So today I am 44.  The celebration of my 44th year started Friday night with Brian and I driving to Buchanan, MI. to visit Rob and Wendy Strom and eat at Rob's restaurant Wheatberry.  We arrived about 8:00 PM and sat at the bar.  Brian and I split a couple of appetizers (crabcakes and coconut shrimp) then I had my favorite:  blackened salmon club.  By the time dinner was over Rob was done working and he pulled out the beers that needed to be tasted!  We went to the house to meet up with Wendy.  The house was great, wonderful screened in back porch which is where we parked it for the night.  Finally went to bed at 2:45!  I haven't been up that late in a very long time.

Saturday Brian and I were planning on heading back to Fremont, maybe stopping to catch the MSU game at a restaurant.  INSTEAD, we stayed and I am so glad that we did!  Rob had to work but Wendy, Brian and I got to hang out for the day.  Wendy had to register for the APPLE CIDER CENTURY bike ride which brought us to Three Oaks, MI.  cute town, farmer's market, etc...  AND signs for the wineries in the area.  Berrien County is known for the wineries and fruit orchards.  So, why not, right?  We went to Round Barn winery first.  For $7/each we got to taste 5 wines, a dessert wine and a vodka and keep the glass.  Once we were finished with that we went over to the beer tasting barn for a free sample.  Brian and I played a quick round of cornhole (I won).  The $7 glass of wine also included a tasting at their sister property, Free Run Cellars.  5 more tastings, a bottle of cherry wine and a tshirt later we were all having a lot of fun!  Final winery of the day was Lemon Creek.  $5 included a glass and 5 tastings.   To say it was a "buzz kill" may be little exaggerated but it was SO crowded and the woman serving us clearly did not like her job!  All in all though, really fun way to spend the afternoon.  Headed to Buchanan to shop a little and back to the house.

Brian, Wendy and I brought a load of wood and chairs down to the fire pit below the house (right on the St. Joseph River) for the Bonfire that night.  Then it was time to nap before dinner back at Wheatberry!  Dinner was excellent again.  New Orleans BBQ shrimp for me!  Some of Wendy' friends joined us, who were in for the bike ride.  After dinner we headed to the house for the bonfire.  Brian and I talked about the fact that it was actually very nice to sit around a fire and NOT have to sing songs!  Having beverages helped as well.  Not nearly as late of a night but still later then my regular bedtime.

Sunday, Brian and I headed home with numerous stops along the way - shopping, of course!  We got my birthday present (19 inch flat screen for my kitchen) and picked up some things that Sarah wanted.  Discovered Earth's Edge in Grand Haven - great store.  Maybe I got a new pair of shoes there!?  Mr. Fatoosh for a late lunch and home.

Yesterday there was a package in the mail from Zach, brought a tear to my eye that he remembered early enough to get that done!  There have been birthday's in the past that this was not the case so it was especially wonderful that he remembered at a time that he wasn't even home. 

Today started out with Happy Birthday wishes, a smoothie waiting for me at work and instant lottery tickets.

Tomorrow Brian and I are Skyping with Sarah for the 1st time!  Hope to be able to get all of the animals in the office and camera ready!

I am looking forward to a wonderful 44th year!

wonderful weekend and other stuff

Zach's been gone 22 days.  I am not really counting it that way, I just happened to talk,talk to him on the phone for the 1st actual talk last night and we wondered that it had only been 3 weeks since we had dropped him off!  It feels like it has been a couple of months since he was home.  Not that time is dragging, it just seems like so long ago.  It was great to talk to him although I missed him more today then I had before hearing from him.  Instant messages and Facebook conversations have been great, I feel like I kinda know what he is doing (maybe he is laughing at that and saying I have NO IDEA what he is doing!)  He doesn't sound homesick in the least and that is a really good thing.  Although I miss him I don't want him at home!  (He knows what I mean)  So, classes are good, sports are good (MSU's stunning win over Notre Dame for example and his season tickets for MSU Basketball), seems like he has made a good group of friends.  Enough about him!  EXCEPT...he needs to get a job!

Sarah walked in the Oktoberfest Parade, among other wonderful things that she has done in the short 10 days she has been in Germany.  Again it seems crazy that it has been such a short time!  She has done a great job of getting information to us via Facebook and her Blog.  We actually got snail mail from her, which prompted me to write her back.  I actually wrote instead of typed the letter.  She has huge, wonderful things coming her way as well as the everyday living.  Her struggles with the German language will be a thing of the past quickly!

Brian and I had a fun filled, childless weekend!  Octoberfest is not the only beer drinking thing going on in this world.  Michigan Irish Music Fest was in Muskegon!  We had a great day of Irish music, Irish dancing and BEER!  On Saturday we went out to lunch in Muskegon at a favorite restaurant.  Brian tried a chocolate martini and enjoyed it so much he bought the ingredients and had a couple more when we got home.

I have been having fun with cooking.  The 1st couple of meals I made WAY to much.  I like leftovers but this was planning on feeding four with leftovers!  I have gotten better.  I am not in the mood to follow recipes as much as envision what I want to make and how I want it to taste and then going for it.  Here is what I need to work on:  SAUCES.  The chicken with mushrooms and red wine cooked down too much.  The shrimp, bacon and broccoli with lemon and cream served with pasta cooked down to much.... I think I need to get a lot more chicken stock in my house!  I still have "ideas" for meals which is fun.  I am also looking forward to following recipes... plenty of time!  It's great that Brian is willing to eat anything I put in front of him.

I have also been working out.  3x last week and I mixed it up.  Elliptical, hiking with the dog and Aqua Blast!  OK, a second on Aqua Blast, I really liked it even though it sounds so corny!  I was for sure a decade younger then anyone else but once I stopped feeling so self-conscious it was fun.  I love being in the pool.  It was a lot of stretching and arm stuff, not cardio really but something.  Liked it so much that I did it again yesterday!  Even said hello to Joyce and Don my 2 new friends that having been doing this class for over two years! It gets me out of the house.

Next weekend may not be filled with lunches out and festivals but I am going to tackle the office!  Yikes...
Julie

It really happened!

They are both out of the house.  The last couple of days were pretty emotional getting Sarah ready for Germany.  We went to Evanston and met up with my parents and saw family and friends.  We ate A LOT of food.  It was really fun.  The hardest parts were when it was just SJ, Brian and I sitting around.  We would look at each other and start talking, giving advise or whatever and we would all tear up!  Dropping off Sarah yesterday was fast!  Checked her luggage and left her at security with quick hugs, I love you's and Thank You's (that is the one that got me!)  We were all crying!  Brian and I walked to the elevator, got on and then looked at each other and got off!  We knew we had to at least see her get through security, what if there was a problem?  She had no phone!  She never saw us as we watched her go through!

I haven't actually "talked" to Zach in days, well over a week even.  We text, sometimes we catch each other on Facebook.  I would love to talk to him, but I also want to give him his space and independence.  I want to ask the simple questions as well as the ones he probably doesn't want to answer:  what did you have for lunch?  what do you do in the evening?  who have you met?  Are you going to parties?  Are you comfortable or is the whole thing awkward? Are you homesick?  Do you take your vitamin?  Did you figure out a printer solution?  Do you like work?  Maybe I don't really want to know the answers to some of the questions?  It's like I am frustrated because we aren't talking but I am also a bit relieved not to know all of the details of his days... I don't know if that makes sense.

So what happens now?  Work is going to keep both of us busy during the days.  We have some "goals": one night a week watch a movie together either from the library or pay per view.  Find at least one show or one night of shows that we can settle in and enjoy together (I am hoping for Tuesday night!)  We already chill out together pretty much after we get home from work, we mostly always eat together.  I like the idea of a date night (I am hoping for every other Wednesday, out to a new restaurant EVEN if it means DRIVING OVER 30 minutes!)  I think we are going to try and work out together, although he likes early mornings and I like afternoon/evenings.  I will probably compromise.  Weekends are pretty booked through October with get-a-ways, wither together or separately.  MSU parents weekend is booked.  Pete and Marya's wedding is booked (with a MSU/NU football game thrown in!)  Girls weekend in Chicago happens before all of that.

I think that we will be fine.  I think that it will all go so fast!  The hardest part is going to be the time when we are just sitting around, the 2 of us and we start thinking about them too much!  As Sarah said to me:  "Don't waste this time just sitting around staring at each other, get out and do stuff."  Thank you Sarah!

One down, one to go

That title might make it sound like I CAN'T WAIT for them both to be out of my house.  That is certainly not true.  I am really nervous about how I am going to react once Sarah is gone.  Brian made a comment when we dropped Zach off at MSU (more on that later) about how it is a natural progression for Zach to be moving out and on with his life.  Sarah is not "supposed" to be moving out yet.

I have been reading a bunch of Rotary Youth Exchange blogs (I am actually a bit obsessive about it at work!) and I feel a little bad/sad for Sarah Jane.  The blogs are all about departures and arrivals and adjustments.  Some are adjusting quickly and embracing their new life, others are finding it more difficult.  BUT... they have all started.  Sarah still has 10 days before she leaves.  I am thrilled to have her around, her friends are thrilled to have her around, Sarah is ready to go!  She is filling her days with friends and reading and re-packing.  She will be a huge help at the barn over Labor Day weekend.  We are still going to Chicago for a couple of days.  It will happen, just like Zach going to college...

Dropping Zach off at college was really quite painless!  Lots of people and lots of stuff, but Zach is on the 1st floor of his dorm and we didn't have to wait for an elevator to get his stuff to the room.  2 trips to the car and we were in!  I made his bed (a loft and a pain in the ass) while Brian assembled the shelving we thought to purchase before hand.  I am a true advocate of shelving!  I predict that Zach will not change the sheets on his bed for 6 weeks (that's when we visit for Parent's Weekend) and more clothes end up in piles on the floor rather in the extra shelving!  We met his room mate Tom who seems like a nice guy.  Checked out the swank community areas and stocked up on chips and beverages at Meijer before the quick hugs and "love ya's".  I am proud to say that Zach was in the building and my sunglasses were on before I let myself cry!  Brian and I had a great trip home reminiscing about Zach.  Really nice.

Zach and I "chatted" throughout the day yesterday... about his books, about gym memberships, about his job, about his classes.  It was nice to be in touch with him.  I know that us texting/chatting will gradually change as he adjusts and gets to know more people, oh, and starts classes (tomorrow).  I look forward to hearing from him whenever!

That's what I've got for now! Julie

Three weeks from today

Sarah will be taking off from O'hare Airport 3 weeks from today.  Before that even happens we will: be flying to North Carolina for 4 days (leaving tomorrow), working at family camp for 1 more week and Labor Day weekend and, oh yeah, getting Zach packed up and off to MSU (August 29th!)  Three weeks seems like a long time, especially since most of the other Rotary Exchange students have already left for their year away.  BUT, time has been flying and I don't anticipate that it will slow down just because I would like it to.

Life has been so busy with work at the library and work at camp I have not been home for more then 2 or 3 hours before it is time for bed.  I can't even picture right now what it will be like to have uninterrupted time at home?!  I feel like once Sarah is gone everything will come to a grinding halt.  Camp is done at the same time so I won't be dividing my time between the two jobs.

Here is what I think is going to happen when we drop off the kids at their respective destinations.  When we drop off Zach I will cry and be excited and happy and maybe a little sad but REALLY mostly happy that he has moved out of my house and onto his own, mostly independent life.  I will see Zach is October for Parent's Weekend.  I will see Zach in November.  I will see Zach in December.  Get the picture?  I will see Zach.  When we drop off Sarah I will cry and be excited (for her) and happy but mostly REALLY sad.  So, friends and family expect copious amounts of tears.  The fact that I had to walk away from the computer to get rid of the tears while just writing this should tell you something!  It will be fine and really quickly after I know she made it safely to Germany I will be super happy and excited for her as well as for me!

Sarah and I are working on Skype. So far she can see me but can't hear me.  I can see her and hear her just fine.  I need to get a microphone attached to my computer.  I hope I don't use Skype as a crutch.  I hope she doesn't either but man am I happy that such a thing exists!  Ok, that's enough for now!

The beginning and they aren't even gone yet!

I have decided to blog about my experiences of being an empty nester.  An unexpected empty nester at that.  My son Zach graduated High School in June.  He did a pretty good job with no real effort that I ever saw!  Got himself accepted to Michigan State University and we deliver him there on August 28th.  One down!  My daughter Sarah is going to be a junior in High School.  We thought Sarah would be around and we would be adjusting to a family of 3.  Sarah had other ideas and decided to apply to Rotary International to be a youth exchange student for her Junior year.  Not surprisingly to us she was accepted and she moves to Friedberg, Germany on September 9th.  Two down and that's it!  My husband Brian and I are excited.  First we are excited for our kids who will both be doing new, exciting, scary, confusing things.  And, we are excited for ourselves.  I can already picture the dinners together, not rushing to one thing or another.  The quick weekend get-a-ways to explore parts of Michigan we haven't seen.  Mostly I am excited to see how our relationship grows and also how I grow.  I too will possibly be doing new, exciting, scary, confusing things.  I have never followed a whole week of recipes from Real Simple magazine.  I think that will be one of my first goals.  I am going to re-find our office under all of the piles of papers, I may wait a month or so for that one.  And I will write.  I will write to document how I change and learn but I will also write to keep in touch with  my children without interfering too much into their new lives.  Pretty excited.  More once they are on their way!  Julie