I have friends in all different stages of life.
Some are just starting out ~ buying their first home, getting married,having babies. Others are in the middle ~ middle of their careers, their kids lives and their marriages. We are getting ready to be empty nesters. Our youngest will be a senior next year and off to college where she will start her life and a new stage.
This really is an interesting time. It reminds me of the end of high school when so many people would ask "what do you want to do?". Rob and I have had a plan in place for this stage for quite some time. We implemented it when our eldest went off to college. We knew that eventually it would be just him and me. Alone. For the first time in over 20+ years. I would have been terminated from my position (stay at home mom) . He would still (hopefully) be gainfully employed.
So~ we decided to institute a 5 year plan. ( we had 6 years to work on it by why procrastinate?). We would work on our marriage (counseling, boxing, whatever it took) so that we would be connected when the last one left. We would start to have interests in common (college football,classic movies,new hobbies). AND we would develop interests in our own special areas (he took up long distance running and I am revisiting my love of horses/riding).
So far, so good. We also planned at least one vacation alone every year for the last couple of years trying to visit new places and see new things. We bought a beach house in a place we both love (Oak Island NC).
One of my favorite things about this time has been the ability to grow and share. It hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine but it has been fun. And ~ as they say ~ prevention is the best medicine. I would prefer to NOT be one of the couples who falls apart when the kids leave.
Our motto ~ plan ahead!
