One of my three little chicks left the nest two years ago. She is living quite happily in Oregon and very much loving all the rain and “artsy-ness” of her area. I visited her recently and we had so much fun prowling all the funky little shops, coffee kiosks and restaurants. We took her dogs to a nearby lake and laughed ourselves silly at their antics in the water. I really did not want to return home, but almost 3 weeks later, forced myself to go.

The oldest of my 3 chicks flew the nest well over 10 years ago, but has returned only to ready herself to fly away again. She returned to pad her bank account to make the migration to Washington a little more comfortable. She will be about 4-5 hours from her little sister and I like the idea of them being fairly close to each other. This will be a HUGE change for her. She has lived in this county her entire life. She is sad and excited at the same time. She keeps telling me she wants to drag Momma Bird with her.

The youngest of my three chicks is still trying to figure out what he wants to do when he leaves the nest. He has become very passionate about bike touring over the past couple of years. He recently completed his first long distance bicycle trip of over 700 miles down the coast of California. He tells me seeing the magnificent views, living among nature for 3 weeks and all the people he met and the experiences he had along the way changed him very deeply. He is already planning a trip across the United States and has also spoken about touring Europe on a bike. He is no longer content living in Southern California. He now knows what those wings are for and is becoming restless and eager to fully use them.

I took my only boy out to lunch yesterday where we talked about what he wanted to do with his life in the foreseeable future. I made the comment that I suspect when he helps his sister drive her belongings to Washington in October, he may just decide to stay there. He admitted that thought had already been on his mind. 

My life is dramatically changing right along side the lives of my fledgling brood. It makes me happy to see my babies have all grown into kind, wonderful, independent adults. It makes me sad to see my once very small house feeling larger as it is being emptied of it's inhabitants. This chapter of my life is so very bittersweet.

There is a bright spot. 

The bitter is becoming less and less. The sweet is becoming the predominant taste of life these days.

I have TONS of new found freedom. I am feeling better than I have (both physically and mentally) in years. 

Even though the future is not looking like I had envisioned it in my youth, it is both unknown and exciting. It feels as though I have a chance at a second life within this one. 

I may even end up somewhere in the Pacific North West (that is what my kids are telling me). An eccentric little old lady working in my art studio. Maybe teaching some classes with my dogs running around underfoot. Who knows? The point is, I now have the freedom to let life take me anywhere I choose to go.

I never thought it would be like this. Don't get me wrong. I LOVED raising my brood and look forward to being "Grandma"! 

Life after kids. It is actually becoming better than I had imagined! :)

It feels like I woke up one morning and life as I had known it, existed no more. Everything changed, like someone had flipped a switch! My emotions plummeted like a rock. How can this be?

I was suddenly plagued with hot flashes and night sweats, but the emotional roller coaster was the most devastating part. There were times I felt like I was losing my mind (Yes, we are talking about the "M" word). 

To compound all this, I suddenly realized I was out of a "job". My 3 kids were grown. Two of my little chicks had already flown from the nest and the youngest of the three came and went like a ghost in the night, rarely to be seen.

In my quest to find new purpose, I began trying to locate my first love,  ART. 

Art was my childhood sweetheart, but we had "broken up" when I became a single mom. Keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table was a full time job and left little money, time or energy to devote to Art.

But alas, after many years, and many miles traveled down life's path, I found myself in a place that is very new and strange to me. So begins my rediscovered life with Art.

As I create my pieces, I hope to convey what has inspired me. What it is about the process that gives me joy. How creativity has helped heal me through these past several turbulent years. And how now, coming out the other side, I feel more happiness and joy than I have experienced in a very long time!

Yes ladies, there is a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel, and no, it is NOT an oncoming train! ;)