They call it an "empty nest."

But standing here now, looking around my home, I can confidently say, mine doesn’t feel so empty.

Yes, the pace of life has slowed.
The rooms stay cleaner longer.

It is certainly quieter.

The once chaotic mornings and noisy evenings have given way to a new kind of quiet. But emptiness? That’s not what I feel when I walk through these familiar halls and rooms.

Because this home…
This home is still full.

It’s filled with memories, from the tiny markings etched into he tables that I never had the heart to repair or paint over, to the old photos lining the shelves that remind me of loud holidays and spontaneous gatherings in the living room. It’s filled with laughter, memories that will forever live in these walls. And most of all, it’s filled with love, deep, steady, unwavering love that remains long after the kids have grown and gone.

It’s Just… Different. Not Empty.

Sure, it’s quieter.
But quiet can be peaceful.
Peaceful doesn’t mean lonely.

There’s a calmness now, one that allows me to reflect on how full life has been. I find joy in the details, the way the morning sun filters through the curtains, the warmth of a cozy couch, or the smell of something baking even if it’s just for me and my husband.

But the real magic happens when they come back.

The Joy of Return

I can’t explain the excitement I feel when I know my loved ones are on their way home. I light candles, fluff pillows, and yes, I quietly hope they’ll leave their shoes in a pile at the back door.

Because that pile of shoes? That’s not a mess.
That’s love.
That’s noise, presence, energy, life flooding back into the space in the most beautiful way.

It’s the voices bouncing off the walls again, the lights glowing from every room, the conversation, the hugs, the stories, the togetherness. My favorite kind of music.

The Gift of Grandkids

New Laughter, New Love

And now… there’s something being added.
The grandkids.

The next generation of laughter now runs down the same hallways.
They’re creating new memories in the same spaces, building forts in the living room, helping in the kitchen, and adding their own joyful noise to the house.

There’s nothing like hearing little feet racing down the hallway, or being asked for “just one more bedtime story”.

They’re not just visiting, they’re adding to the legacy of love that we built in this house. With every giggle, every crayon drawing on the fridge, every sleepy snuggle, my heart stretches a little more, knowing this nest was never meant to be empty. It was meant to keep growing in love.

Home Is My Favorite Place, But So Are They

This house will always be my sanctuary.
It holds everything we’ve ever built together.
But I’ve learned something precious as an empty nester.

My favorite place isn’t just a physical one.
It’s anywhere my favorite people are.
Because love isn’t confined to walls, it travels with them, and it stays with me.

So no, I don’t live in an empty nest.
I live in a home that continues to hold everything that matters.
It’s just evolved, like I have.
And oh, how beautiful that evolution is.

"Keep the piles of shoes coming."

XO, Cathlene