Just a few more sleeps ...

When our children were younger, we used the phrase “just a few more sleeps” to count down the number of days to whatever was coming. Whether it was a planned vacation, an anticipated sleep-over, or Christmas Day, saying “just ____ more sleeps” would usually satisfy the inevitable question of “when are we going” or “how many more days”. In just a few more sleeps, our youngest daughter will be getting married. She is the last to leave our nest and just like any other parent who has gone down this path, it is a nest full of all kinds of emotions.

We became parents on December 12, 1986. So for almost 30 years, our home has been inhabited with children. For 30 years, we have had experiences of being woken in the middle of the night to a crying baby, a sick toddler, a scared child, a wayward teenager, a young adult. As a mom, it’s what I know.
In just a few more sleeps, our home will be quiet with just the memories of such moments that have become such a part of our lives. In just a few more sleeps, our nights will no longer be interrupted with middle-of-the-night moments from children. In just a few more sleeps, our nest will be empty. It’s what we know.

Just a few more sleeps. Until then ... sleep well, little bird.