Enig, bless you : ) All mums go through this, some obviously more than others, (the good ones more!)
I only have 1 son, he is 21 this year.
I envy those who had more children because they got to experience having a child more than i did, if that makes sense, I went through everything once.
BUT.. I consider myself very lucky as some women never get to have their own children. So i am glad and grateful for being pregnant and feeling him kick inside me : )
I always go gooey when i see a newborn, i love that newborn cry, it has a certain sound that doesn't seem to last.
Do you smile when you see a mum with a child having a major strop in public? So funny.. one of those "been there done that!" I own that T shirt!
I look through photos of when he was little and of course i miss him being little and all those special little moments....He was such a cute little boy and good looking too, but then i would say that ; )
One day we saw we saw some oil in the road and it had been raining, and you know you get all those colors appear, well he said... "Aww, a dead rainbow"

Once upon a time he looked up and me, now he looks down on me as a 6 foot 1 strapping young man : )

I'm looking forward to grandchildren : ) I know you will will make an awesome grandma one day!
Hey at least we can give them back when they start throwing themselves on the floor, screaming their head off and kicking their feet, right!?

I went through a stage where I looked at baby pictures and cried and I am starting to feel that stage hit me again as my youngest are almost grown. My two 26 year olds are grown and of course on their own and it was hard losing them and we started over again with the two younger ones....now at 17-1/2 and 15 I only have one school year left with David and then the horror of of him joining the Marines is going to happen. I have 3 years left with Jacob...my baby:) yep I want to cry when I look at younger pictures.

No sweet enigma there are no words of wisdom and no real words of comfort for your aching mothers heart. It hurts and there is nothing we can do but it does ease. They come home. They visit, you get use to it, things settle. And then when the grand kids come along all is forgotten and forgiven lol. But until then big gentle hugs and much love , I know it hurts.

Hold on..
There is a cure..
Grandbabies. :-) :-) :-)
Hugs
jc

Thank you, buddies

I second the grandbabies and the pride in seeing my sons older and wiser. Recently the woman my 40 year old my son is dating complimented me on raising a wonderful son. So it isn't all bad. They never really leave us the relationship just changes a bit. I think with both our sons we are more friends now.

Also the grandchildren allow me to relive their childhood to a degree. It is a blessing.

Oh Enigma, it just made me want to cry to see how sad you are about your boy's getting older and leaving the nest. Sounds like you raised them well if they do their own laundry. :-) You must be very proud.

When my girl's left for college I was sad but I was soo happy because I knew that they were going to do great things with their life...and they did. Your boy's are not gone forever, trust me, they will be back.....often. And the older they get the closer you will become with them. Not sure if there is a book out there on "Empty Nest" just going by my own experience. And then the best thing happens.....Grandbabies!!!!

Empathy, that is the cutest thing ever that your your Son said. Awww, a dead rainbow. I loved that.

Kim, I can only imagine what it may feel like with your Son joining the Marines. When my Nephew joined the Air Force I hated it. But he loves it and is making a career of it as in flying Helicopters and teaching others. I am very proud of him but I'm always worried. That's what we do. Worry!

So true, Jancam. There is a cure.....Grandbabies.

Hippy, you must be so proud that the woman your Son is dating paid you such a great compliment.

Love and hugs to all my dear Hen's.

I went through the same thing when my children grew and left home .....they were my babies and when the last one left I felt like I didn't know ware my place was I was a stay at home mom .so when the last one left it hit me hard but .....what helped me was I would just look at them and see the people they had grown into ...and the love flower from me I didn't think I could love then any more ...I paid attention to who they were ...how they looked .......I just loved them so much it hurt .....but I brought them up for this so they could make there way in this world ............I have been there and helped them after they were away from home ....and found just like when they were little I was still watching them grow becoming .....then came ...the wives and the grandchildren .....there is nothing like a grandchild ....the love that started when they were in my belly has just kept growing and is still growing and now is multiplied with there family's and still growing ....there is nothing like watching your grandchildren grow into the little people they are becoming .....my grandchildren have made me want to be here ....not that I would of left my children ...but ...it is hard to explain ...I have never wanted to be here on this earth since I was a child and when I had grand children .....I found I wanted to watch them grow up I wanted to see who they grew up to be ..........my children will always be my children .....and so will yours ....try concentrating on who they are becoming now ....maybe it might help ......they are a part of us ...this is what good mothers go through .........but this is what we wanted for them to be able to live on there Owen .......and be strong ......we have done our job well ....you have done your job well ....see who they are now .....keep in the present ......take care ...god bless ....sending you hugs ....

it also has a name ..they call it the empty nest syndrome ....