10.20.2010

Empty Nesters


Just two months after Timmy and I were married, we invited his little sister to move in with us. It was a huge sacrifice to give up our first months of newlywed life. But we could hardly leave a sister to experience the horrors of co-ed dorm life at UW Madison! (What’s up with co-ed dorms anyway? How is that ok?) And so she started her college career off right, with a house to live in, her own bathroom (probably preferable to sharing a bathroom with 30+ other girls…gross…), free parking, a kitchen, and two roomies to love her. Perfect.

The first little upstairs tenant moved out at the end of December… and our second sweet roomie moved in at the end of February. Our Rynn, a world traveling missionary with YWAM, needed a place to live. So we tucked her cozily into the orange bedroom at the top of the stairs, and it will probably be a long time before we can remember to call it anything other than “Rynn’s Room”. She lived with us for eight months, and only just moved out last weekend. (sniff sniff… I halfheartedly tried to convince her to live with us forever…)


I think it is safe to say that Tim and I are “living with sisters” pros by now. Over the past year and a half, we have grown used to soft shuffling noises of footsteps creeping upstairs in the middle of the night, phone calls when keys were forgotten, food left on the counter, dishes in the sink, clothes mysteriously disappearing from my closet… and lots of girlish drama. We have snuggled and comforted sister tears, celebrated sister excitements, nursed sister illnesses, and gave helpful advice to sister worries. 

It's been fun.
 
But now, our little orange bedroom at the top of the stairs is empty. And oddly, we kind of feel like middle aged parents whose kids have flown the nest.

We find ourselves waiting for our little sweetie to come home at night
only to remember she won't be coming home. 

Oh.

Well, what do we do now?
 
Hmmm… I think we’ll start with celebrating our 16 Month Anniversary. 

At home. 

Alone… *wink*

(Happy 16 Months, Husband)

4 comments:

  1. "have we taught our children well" hahahahahaa!!!! I love you honey! Looking back it really was a sacrifice, to in someways give up our first year together. Its also pretty exciting to, that we had the privilege to love and adore our sisters in a special way.

    I am SO impressed honey with the tenderness of your heart. Your devotion to OUR family. You are the kindest sweetest person I have ever known!!

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  2. Rynn and Missy were so blessed to have a warm and loving home with you. It was a sacrifice for you, but I have repeatedly seen both of you sacrifice for family and God. One of my biggest God lessons this summer was that the "suffering" or sacrifice is our treasure. Those are the times that we are the closest to God. Thank you both for loving your sisters so well!
    xxxmom

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  3. Oh, by the way, I forgot to comment on another jumping photo. Really Tim, I have never seen anyone who could jump so high or enjoy it so much. Although those groomsmen and Caleb gave it a try! I guess Becki hasn't shown you all those big rocks up in our woods that you could jump off of....
    xxxmom

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  4. I can fix that empty nest thing ;)

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