Extremely proud and a little melancholy. There should be a name for that.

I wish there was a name for that feeling. You know, that feeling you don't want to admit to or talk about. It is the feeling deep in your gut - kinda ouchy but kinda tickley too. It is when you see your daughter with her baby. And, she is so  loving, patient, tender and attentive, with beyond-the-best-expectations mommy skills.  And you are so proud!  So very proud you could burst. Yet, at that same moment you realize just as that baby needs her so much, your daughter doesn't need you now in the same way. She is so capable and responsible. And of course you are proud beyond measure. But still, there is that other melancholy feeling of not ever being needed as a mommy of a little girl - ever again. 

Yeah, there should be a name for that. 

Grocery Shopping should be a four letter word!

Grocey shopping.  It has been four years since my daughter got married and left our household, and I still can't seem to get the hang of grocery shopping for two.  If I am not out of milk, then the bread is moldy.....if I even have bread.  I've had the same box of Cheerios in my pantry for over two years.  I should probably throw out my sugar and flour.  I don't bake anymore and don't remember how long it has been since I bought it.

I tried meal planning.  But, my husband and I are often too tired to cook so we do a lot of spontaneous carrying or dining out.  And, because I am kidding myself about saving money, I shop at various places to get the best deals.  Walmart and Aldi's for pantry items.  Sam's Club for meat, cereal and frozen foods.  Often we'll have a freezer full of meat and no cheese or fresh veggies.  Likewise, we'll have two huge boxes of cereal from Sam's Club, but no milk.

I used to kinda like grocery shopping.  I was confident about what I needed and felt a sense of accomplishment when it was done and put away.  Now, as I put away the groceries, I am making another shopping list of the things I still needed or just forgot.

Any tips on how to get my grocery shopping organized???

A Moment of Love and Discovery

Yesterday I spent the day with my daughter and grandson. We went to the zoo in Indianapolis. Thank goodness she had a membership - we have an expensive zoo here. But, it was a sunny day, warm with a bit of a breeze that rustled the leaves. Truly, a gorgeous fall day. However, one significant thing that made it a great day was watching my grandson discover and explore. He loved the fishes. He fed the birds. His eyes widened when he saw the lions. And, he pressed his adorable and quite kissable little head to the elephant habitat barrier to get a good look at those amazing creatures (my personal favorite, I might add). I just love watching him make discoveries, and when you are one and half years old - everything is a discovery.

As I said, watching him was one significant reason yesterday was so great. The other was being a witness to the devoted and off-the-charts loving parents my daughter and son-in-law have become. They offer their curious son loads of experiences to expand his mind and provide lots of opportunity for discovery. They routinely take him to the park, Gymboree, Kindermusic, the library pre-school programs and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (the biggest and best in the world - it's true - Google it). What I mean by routinely is that he goes to a handful of each of these toddler mind-expanding places weekly! My daughter is a respiratory therapist which gives her flexibility in the number of hours and shifts she works, so she chooses a few evening shifts a week. They often work it it out so my son-in-law can accompany them. They do so much as a unit. They are a lucky and loving family.

So one of the perks of being an Empty Nester is that you get to witness and even participate in your kids' lives like this. It is immensely satisfying - especially when things are good, and there are no worries.  (Which we know doesn't last, so let's try not to take those peaceful times for granted).

I hope you get to have days or moments of love and discovery like I did yesterday. With a new day comes the thought - What's next?

Empty Nest Moms Need a Voice

I just returned from a Marketing to Moms conference, the same one I attended two years ago.  I actually started this blog when I returned from the 2012 conference.  There was so much talk about Mom blogging, and I wanted to see what the buzz was all about.  The best way for me to learn about new things has always been to try it, so I did.

So, there was a lot of discussion about Moms - their pressures, their time allotment to all they need to accomplish throughout the day, their priorities and how they get their information.

I had a question lingering in the back of my mind. Am I still a mom?  I didn't seem to have much in common any more with the Moms they were talking about.  What about Moms like us?  Moms whose grown children are now Moms themselves.  What is our role?  How do we balance our priorities?  What are our pressures?

Maybe the worst and best part is the fact we have time to pause and take inventory.  We have a bit more time (albeit, I find I have less energy) to smell the roses.  We have more time to reevaluate and redirect our lives.

Now that I am a grandmother, my priorities are much clearer than they were in the time between my daughter's wedding and my grandson's birth.  My priority is to spend time with that little guy as much as I can and to be there for my daughter and son-in-law as needed.

I am recommitting myself to this blog.  Us empty nester Moms need a voice.  I would welcome your thoughts on our most pressing issues and for support for one another....in this weird and confusing time.

What's next?