Yes, the eldest Prince has moved out or as he put it “I have effectively moved out.” And since when did my Prince talk like that? My Prince has become a man right before my eyes. The nest is a little emptier without him.

It happened slowly. I’ve been so busy this year jumping from crisis to crisis; I didn’t notice it until this weekend. Kind of like how crinkles sneak up around my eyes. One day I smile in the mirror and bam! There’s wrinkles…er…crinkles around my eyes. Well…slowly my first-born has been spending less and less time at home.

Looking back I now see the pattern. Last year he was here during the week and with his finance, soon to be a newly crowned Princess of the realm, on the weekends. Then it was Monday through Thursday. That became Tuesday through Thursday. Sometime during this past spring I saw him one to two days a week. I realized on Friday I had not seen or heard from my son for a while, nary a text even.

Huh! So this is why moms stereotypically say “You never call!” I checked back through my call log and text messages. Nice to have such easy documentation! We moms can now prove our kids didn’t call (Cackle…Oh the power in my hands…Cackle). Fourteen days since I’d seen or talked to my Eldest Prince.

Of course all the usual mom thoughts rammed through my brain in rapid fire fashion. Where is he? Is he okay? Is he hurt? Sick? Busy? Hanging with his friends? Has he joined a cult? No. No. No! Milly stop your imagination and text him. So I did.

You may ask, what brought all this about? A couch, just a simple bargain on a couch. See we home-schooled our boys through part of elementary school and middle school before they went to high school. When we home-schooled them we turned the office/guest/Eldest Princess’ (My stepdaughter’s) room into youngest prince’s room and moved the office into the living room. So the only seating in the living room, for over ten years, has been a love seat, a recliner and a rocker. Ah to have a couch to stretch out on. Imagine the comfort. All for $40 dollars it could be mine.

But, where do I put all 85 inches of couch? Light Bulb Moment! That’s when I remembered our arrangement with our Princess. Since she was at our house every other weekend, she shared her room with our office. The boys shared the other bedroom. And of course I shared my room with you know who! Why couldn’t we share the room with the Eldest Prince?

So I asked him in a text. He agreed and came home that evening to pack the rest of his favorite clothing and made his momentous announcement. That evening, I sat with my hot tea laced with honey and realized; The change had happened step by step. It was gentle and easy. There was no fight. No dramatic ploys. No tears or whining (which would have been from me). This growth moment was not painful. I am so thankful God has been preparing me for this moment.

I have to say I was a little blue but, I wasn’t depressed. A spark of happiness and pride is in my heart too. This must be what the mama eagle feels when she watches her chick fly from the nest. I’m holding my breath to see how high my eagle will fly!

Fly little bird fly!

Milly

P.S. the conversion to son/guest/office room should be completed by August 31st (barring any construction delays of course).