Hi, my name is Liz, and I am a Fairfield County Mom! I have been married for 27 years and have been with my husband for more years now than I haven’t, and we still like each other! We moved to Fairfield from NYC when my oldest daughter was about to turn one, which will be 21 years ago this June. We have two feisty, artsy, and awesome redheaded daughters who are now both in college, which makes me…yep, you guessed it, an empty nester!
Honestly, I’m not sure I like the term “empty nester.”
It feels so, well…empty when in reality, I feel incredibly full of hope and enthusiasm! It’s kind of like having my cake and eating it too! I imagine this is what it feels like to be a grandparent for the first time, having the joys of a new baby, but getting to hand the baby back at the end of the visit and go home and relax! Not a bad setup!
I still have these amazing humans in my life, who I made and adored, but now they are a little more mature, fairly self-sufficient, and even a tad cleaner!
They come home to visit and call or text most nights to say goodnight and that they love me. They ask my advice; however, they still don’t always listen to it, but I’m grateful they ask.
Now, as I find myself in this new season of life, instead of sadness, I am brimming over with excitement for what’s to come!
Of course, I miss my girls. I miss seeing their faces every day, family dinners, cozying up on the couch with popcorn, and watching The Gilmore Girls late into the night. But for the first time in a very long time, I get to focus on someone else…ME! It may sound cliché’, and maybe it is, but it also happens to be true.
So, what am I doing with all this time on my hands?
Aside from enjoying more date nights with my husband and more workouts at the gym, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention less laundry.
Most of my energy has shifted to FINALLY nurturing a career that has been many years in the making. I went back to school to get my Master’s in nutrition the same year my youngest started high school (not great timing, but that’s stories for another day!) and am preparing to launch my private nutrition practice in the very near future.
I’m busy building websites, developing healthy recipes, and even posting on IG. Of course, with a bit of nudging and help from my daughters! Not a big deal for most, but if you know me, you know that I am legitimately technically challenged. The struggle is indeed real!
So, while I don’t necessarily love the term “empty nester,” the concept is really starting to grow on me! I am still very much and always will be a mom. My daughters had my heart from day one, which will never change. I get to spend more time on myself while they slowly take the steering wheel of their lives.
I’m not sure who wrote the quote, “Once a mom, always a mom,” but it brings me comfort on those nights when The Gilmore Girls are calling. The rest of the time, I’m full steam ahead and loving the ride!
