Month: August 2025

I have a bad habit.

Since the kids have all moved away to college, I have become addicted to checking their location on “Find My.”

I can see who got up and out to make it on time to class.

I can see who makes a late night Taco Bell run.

I can see who is at work, at the gym, at the piano room, or at the library.

I can see which church they are attending on Sunday morning.

But no matter how many times I check in on WHERE each of them are, I cannot tell HOW they are just by seeing where they’re located on a map. And that’s the part I miss the most. When they’re under your roof, even with school and busy social lives, you still see them regularly and can get a pulse on what’s going on in their life.

But being hundreds of miles away makes it quite difficult to know how the kids are doing. Really.

The reality is only God knows how they’re doing through and through. Whether they’re living here right under my nose or halfway across the world, God is the all-knowing One. He sees them. He knows them. He understands them better than they understand themselves.

Sunday’s sermon was good and one line in particular was for me. The pastor was talking about how God sees us right where we are. He went on to say the words latitude and longitude—I mean, who uses those 3rd grade geography terms in a sermon except one that I’m sitting in….that line was for me, the mom addicted to seeing where, latitudinally and longitudinally, her kids are. It definitely made me aware that God sees where I am, too. And He knows HOW I am.

And no matter where each of us are AT, I know Who each of us are IN, Jesus Christ. There is no better place to be, no better person to care for us.

So we will attempt family face time calls and check in with good questions and lots of loving assurance, but ultimately they’re walking their life out in Christ. Mom was never meant to always be around! And I know that. It just takes a little bit of time to adjust.

Sharing this pic without the whole story/context, lest you think I’m crazy.

We just started living our Empty Nest Life, and we are enjoying it so far! The house is quiet, but it’s also clean. The driveway is empty, but so is the kitchen sink of dirty dishes. So you take the wins with the losses and keep moving!

I don’t normally give advice for much of anything—I hardly think the way I’ve done things is the best way. HOWEVER, two things rise to the top if I were pressed to give advice—a don’t and a do!

1.) Do not get a puppy.

I know, it’s probably in a textbook somewhere for moms entering this new season of no kids in the house, but I had to learn the hard way. So in case you haven’t read the book, here’s your word to the wise. Just don’t get a puppy. You don’t want another living thing to depend on you. You’re free. Embrace it!

2.) Do subscribe to a meal plan program. I haven’t cooked since the kids left! I mean, besides scrambling eggs or making a batch of chicken salad, I just haven’t cooked. And it is amazing. We order 12 dinners a week from a local company (Project Lean Nation). We pick them up Saturday. We put them in the oven for fifteen minutes each evening and eat our yummy meal. And that is dinner. It’s heavenly. Easy. Delicious. Healthy. The grocery store is a breeze now. Some fruit, eggs, yogurt, and zero sugar/zero caffeine coke. Easy Peasy!!!!

And that is all I’ve got for you. Maybe this will help someone else about to enter this season. If I learn anything else worth sharing, I’ll be sure to post about it!

After the trip to Wilmington, we had a couple of days at home before Molly and I headed to Lynchburg to move her into her dorm. She chose to live back on campus this year, and I love that for her. It’s such a simple life with the dining hall conveniently located next to her dorm. And friends everywhere you turn. She loves people and fun and late nights, so she will thrive!

We filled up my car with her stuff because I was to be the one to drive up and let the students load up her things in red rolling bins and deliver it all to her room. Liberty move in is AMAZING!!!!!! They have music playing and smiles and signs to welcome everyone. And the parents don’t have to lug all the stuff to the room.

Molly went super simple this year because she has already done the decorations and moving allll the stuff out that she chose to move in, so she planned a bit more strategically with her clothes and decor. I love that about her.

Lillah!! We love Lillah. They’re in the same building so that’s fun!

Shout out to Coca Cola Consolidated who is sponsoring the kids’ education here. lol

After a full few hours of moving her in and running to Target, we grabbed some dinner and then went to a little birthday party for Kylie, Ruby’s room mate. It was fun to see all of the friends.

The next day we went shopping because that’s of much more interest to the girls than moving in or decorating. We had a fun time! I got to see Ruby’s workplace in the mall and meet her manager. And we bought some cute things!

I absolutely loved being with the girls and seeing where they’re living. They are blessed to be at Liberty. What an amazing spot! I love it there.

We saw some young girls crying as they were hugging their parents. We saw families circled up and praying for their student they were leaving. We saw moms and dads working so hard to make sure their kid had everything they needed in their dorm. It’s just the sweetest time. I was reminded of our first drop off with Ruby. She didn’t cry. And then we dropped Molly the next year and there were lots of tears. They have both grown and matured and learned so much about themselves and about life while they’ve been at Liberty. They have met some amazing friends—and somehow I still feel like the best is yet to come!

Praying this is the best year yet! Go Flames!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

{Josh and I are doing well today, our first day with no kids in the house because they’re all at college. I feel a bit like I’ve been run over by a truck after the whirlwind week, but I’m sure things will settle down and I’ll enjoy the clean, quiet house and my simple routine—and also look forward to a weekend visit from any of them!}

“It’s Time.”

That’s the phrase that kept playing over and over in my mind throughout our weekend in Wilmington as we got Mack set up in his new city.

As parents we don’t always see our “baby” of the family as ready for this monumental shift. And I suppose the jury is still out on how this will all go….but what I do know is it was time.

Time to let Mack live under another roof. Time to go to another church and hear truth from other Believers. Time to spread his wings and make some new friends. Time to really have to do his own laundry. Time to really get up on his own. It was time.

Mack was, seemingly, done learning and growing here. Our voices became like Charlie Brown’s teacher the older Mack got.

Like plants in a small pot, their roots can only go so deep, and therefore, their growth is limited—so is Mack in this home, in this city. It was time.

Wilmington is Mack’s bigger pot. He has potential to grow roots deeper in a plethora of ways! It’s really up to him now.

On Sunday, we attended a vibrant, healthy church with amazing worship and truth preached. This is something that has been lacking in our time in Charlotte. I’m so sad about what Mack’s church life looked like here, but I think it will make him that much more grateful to be a part of a healthy, growing church. We met the college pastor and Mack already has coffee planned with someone on staff this week. They have weekly gatherings of college students, too.

We found a CrossFit gym for Mack to join and it was amazing! Great staff, amazing facilities. He goes today to start working out there!

We found a CleanEatz for him to get meals for the week since he isn’t living on campus and doesn’t have a meal plan. This is huge!

We got him settled into a new apartment—even met one of the room mates and his family on our way to the car as we were about to head back to Charlotte. No matter how that turns out, Mack will grow and learn in his living situation!

He is set up for success, and I pray he grows into all that God has for him in Wilmington!

It was time.

We will miss having Mack around here, but truly can’t be more excited for his new adventure! Praying his roots grow downward and he bears fruit upward!

It’s time!

{>>>>>>>>loading empty nest season…..we move Molly in to her dorm later this week!}

I don’t want to post this on my blog, but I feel that I owe it to the few people that read my ramblings.

Stella found a new home.

I know—shocking. And sad. I cried. Molly cried. It was so very sad. Stella was a perfect puppy. She did all the puppy things and was the absolute cutest thing ever.

But Rolo was not ok. She did not like Stella. I know we could have endured longer to see if she would warm up to Stella. But I just wasn’t willing to carry on like that. And now that Stella is in a different family, our Rolo is back to normal! It’s actually crazy how subdued and depressed she was.

But don’t worry, Stella is with the sweetest family in Tennessee. She likely hasn’t even had her leash on since she left us. They have land. They have another dog who already loves her and plays with her and lets her sleep nearby!!!! I mean—it’s so precious.

I suppose all’s well that ends well?? But this was a very hard decision for me. I grappled with it so bad. And it’s taken a few days to feel ok about it. But seeing how the timing of us realizing this wasn’t working and Molly sharing it with her college room mate on the phone and them expressing interest. Then realizing they just happened to be traveling from the NC coast to their home in Tennessee and therefore coming near Charlotte the very next morning—-it just was as perfect as you can imagine.

I won’t be expounding any more about this on the blog. It’s just too depressing. But looking back, I suppose my situation was probably a textbook case of identity crisis as the house was about to be empty of all of our kids. Live and learn.

As for now, I’ll be making no major decisions for the next year. Just gonna take each day as it comes and enjoy peace and quiet and cleanliness in this next season of life.

We love you, Stella! Enjoy your country, leash-less life with your big sister who actually loves you!