Pre-Empty Nester Anxiety!

It wasn't all that long ago when silence and solitude were unthinkable...Our front entry was like the revolving door at Macy's and the back slider was relentless...triggering Mark's famous "close the door, close the door, close the door" chant. The indoor decibel level rivaled Chicago's O'Hare! Then, as if someone flipped a switch - all went quiet! The rockin from the basement, little toys, little friends and non-stop action is coming to a grinding halt! I remember seeing 5 hockey games, 2 soccer games, a gym meet and some lacrosse, football or karate as a normal weekend...and today, looking at the calendar, the sea of blue ink has dissipated...and a new normal is emerging from underneath the equipment bags! Are we doing less? Are we enjoying less? I don't think so...we've just shifted to a new stage - one where roller blades and skateboards on the walkway are replaced by cars in the driveway...One where we don't sit and watch the practices, or even drive to many of them...one where we don't set up "play dates" , or check for a sitter before we schedule real dates! Seems like our lives and our kids lives aren't one big schedulng puzzle anymore! They go to school, work and sports...we support, work and cheer, but on a much more civilized scale.
The days of taking kids to lessons are gone..today they train, perform, compete! That doesn't mean that there are no lessons to be learned - but now, they're life lessons -instead of skating lessons, music lessons, swimming lessons, gymnastics lessons! Sounds like I'm struggling with pre-empty nest syndrome...getting used to a bunch of young men and a lovely teen aged daughter rather than my monkeys jumping on the beds! Getting used to beer bottles instead of playtex bottles in the fridge...getting used to forking out gas money instead of candy money...hair straighteners and mascara sit where the dollies used to be, getting used to saying that my oldest son is coming over for a visit rather than coming home - and the Costco bill with teen aged boys??? I will never get used to that! About the silence and solitude we once yearned for...well, it's good...very good...but every now and again, we have the burning need to throw open our doors, crank up the music and bring it all back- I know - I just need to step on a few stray lego blocks, sop up some spilled milk and host a power rangers party - and I'll be over the urges to go back in time - ready for silence again!!!