Mothers as empty nesters

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I have been a mother for 26 years and, now, although still a mother, have an empty nest.. My son married on December 1st of 2007, but had moved out a couple of months before that.. Although your kids will completely "drive you crazy", they are integrated into every part of your life, into every nook and cranny of your life.. I am sure most mothers or fathers will, like me, think to themselves, I can't wait until they move out and get a place of their own.. "I am so very ready to have a bit of "peace and quiet".. Not really meaning anything serious by that thought, but thinking it anyway.. Well, now that the "nest" is empty, you have a whole new set of problems.. It is too quiet, always waiting on the door to slam, it doesn't, cooking for only 2 instead of your son and the "extras" that he may bring home with him, getting use to having only your husband and yourself in the house instead of the 3 of you and the "extras.. Even though you can use the phone whenever you want to, he doesn't have it tied up talking to friends, you find that you wish he was there talking to his friends and tying up the phone.. You even miss picking up his room, finding week old socks under the bed, dishes that you haven't seen for weeks, "hey we have a service for 12, not just a service for 3", doing his laundry.. You miss the occasional hugs and pats on the back as he passes you in the house, the "I love you mom's", you miss just being able to know that he is asleep in his room, "safe and sound" and know that all is well with your world.. Then about six months or so later, you start to enjoy the peace and quiet, being able to use the phone when you want to, cooking smaller meals, having an extra room for "your very own", smaller amounts of laundry, reading "uninterrupted" for an hour or so.. You start to get use to the changes that have been going on and you accept them, even get adjusted to them.. Now all is well with your world, you are hoping and praying for the best for your son and his new wife, you know that they are happy with each other and, assured that he is own his way to making his own life and family.. All is finally well with your world, then "mom, I lost my job, we may have to move in with you fo awhile"Will someone please remind me why we chose to have kids?? signed, one crazy mom who really loves her kid..