As strange as it may sound. My husband and I are so used to having a house full of kids around us all the time. It feels almost sad not to hear the laughter, bickering and spats of the kids rushing around the house.

I never thought I would think of our house as too peaceful. Our Angela is so good at occupying herself that she rarely makes noise.

What on earth is wrong with me....I can't be missing noise can I? I love it when Angela has friends over because they fill the house with laughter and fun again.

Angela is right at the point where she is enjoying sleep overs here but she does not like to go away from home herself for the night yet. I am glad she is not that grown up yet. It is nice to be missed and needed.

After being a Foster/Adoptive parent unit for eleven years. Both my husband and I know that we need time to grow together again. It is a bit easier for him because he has his work and it is still cool to have the house peaceful when he comes home at night.

All of this peace is now driving me up a wall. So Angela and I have joined the summer reading program at the local library. We have started fishing off the dock near our home. We do some type of art and craft daily. We still find time to go over her vocabulary and spelling words from school.

Angela is learning to write letters to her grandparents and her sister. Along with her teacher from first grade. While mommy is learning to do just about anything from phone calls to closet cleaning to keep myself busy.

I guess I just loved being a mom. Fixing breakfast and lunch for the kids. Taking them to all their appointments. Watching them play. Teaching them how to fill their day with fun and activities.

Now I am teaching myself how to fill my day with fun and activities. (giggle) Thank goodness for Angela.
She is my one last attempt at getting one of my children to love school and to seek out a college education.

I would love to foster parent again some time in our future. For now learning to be happy in my own little nest is a challenging task.

As our nest gets a little emptier. I am realizing how much I have enjoyed raising our kids. It has been a heartwarming and challenging event. One that I would not have missed for the world.

But these empty next blues are for the birds. I like my nest full and happy. Anyone else out there miss being a busy parent? How do you deal with all the alone time you have on your hands now? I would love to hear your ideas.