You will never know how much until it's gone

As my youngest child is now almost a grown up I know that soon he too will move out on his own. As my other children moved out one by one I always still had young ones that filled the house with life. But now I will have a quiet home that is lacking the happy spirit of a child. Sure I will see them on holidays and the grandkids will visit but for the most part it will be actually lonely. You spend so many years getting a house big enough for everyone and then before you know it you don't need a big house anymore. Except a few days a year you need the space for them to come to visit on holidays. Holidays will be more special to me now more than ever. I have to figure out how to have the food prepared before they get here so I can sit down and enjoy every moment they are here. Enjoying our time together has become rare occurences so therefore it is more important than ever before. I may have always wanted more time to myself as they were growing up but I never thought about having way too much time by myself. I am lucky to have grandchildren still young enough to want to come to Grandma's house to visit. And they live only three miles away. I know how fast they grow up so I see them whenever I can. I don't want to miss their youth because I know that is the only time I have before they grow up and move away too. It may have been a little tough when they were young but it is really tough to find yourself alone in a big quiet lifeless house. And a lot darker when no one is there to leave all the lights on.