Kristy Dorminy

The kids came home this past weekend.

Ruby was the maid of honor in Kylie’s wedding so she was very busy. But molly and Lillah stayed all weekend. And Rachel even stayed over one night. And Mack got some time to sleep in and eat some home cooked food. It was a nice weekend!

It started with this fun pumpkin painting at my friend’s house.

I baked some cookies while I waited on everyone to get here. And we handed out almost 150 treats on Halloween!

But the highlight was definitely the wedding!

Looks like I got zero pics of Mack😬

I’ll make up for that over Thanksgiving Break! Not much longer now….

Until then, Rolo and I will be resting up and getting ready for more family time🦃🧡

October has flown by! I have some very random photos to share and try to highlight some things that have been going on lately.

Our small group from church met up to put some furniture together and move some other items at Beds for Kids—a local company who takes furniture, especially beds, to those in need. We had a great time together.

I hosted a book club/bible study on Wednesday mornings! It was such a good time!!! I think I’ll need to dedicate a whole post to this! Stay tuned.

This is me sending my girls pictures of my OOTD for bible study or church. lol. I’m so glad I have daughters! Mack just isn’t very interested in anything I’m wearing.

I got my nails done. Got a hair cut. Took lots of pics of Rolo. Molly came home a couple of times. And fall is beautiful in Charlotte!

Ruby is working a good bit at Seven and James in the mall. She is doing so good in her senior year—managing all of the school work, her job, and getting her room mate married! Lots going on for Ruby.

Josh went to Michigan for a hunt!

We hosted a young adult group at our home for chili and s’mores. It was a fun time!

Today I painted pumpkins with a few friends and it was so fun. Everyone was so creative.

We’ve had a lot of other things going on this month that I didn’t snap pictures of—but it has been such a full, fast October! Halloween is Friday night and Molly and Lillah will arrive. More friends come over the weekend because there’s a wedding Sunday!! I’ll be sure to post photos from the wedding weekend! We may see Mack this weekend too.

I’ll be back with all of that and to tell you more about the book club. Hope you’ve had a great October!

The girls came home for Fall Break this year. Ruby brought Kylie so they can enjoy some time together and go to a concert—a last hoorah before Kylie gets married and moves to OHIO! Those two have been roomies all through college and the whole relationship has gone smoothly. They really are a sweet pair.

Molly has gone to Cross Fit twice with Josh. We took her shopping with us today. And she has slept a lot because I am pretty sure she and Abby often have late night shenanigans.

The weather is chilly here finally! We sat around the fire pit last night just talking with the girls. And we somehow were talking about a funny marriage story from our newlywed days. One day in our first weeks of marriage Josh came home from work and I had made chili with a side of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It was yummy, and we moved on with life. I am sure I served this several more times throughout our first year or more of marriage with nothing notable about it.

So one evening we were having a Sunday School party with our class of other newly wed couples and a few small children thrown in by this time. The menu was chili with a side of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Seemed perfectly normal and standard to us!

Until.

One gal asked me, “What’s up with having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Is that for the kids?”

I was like…., “UM, what do you mean? Do you not have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with your chili?” And everyone in the class was like….NO.

We laughed and were a little embarrassed. It’s just funny how when you merge two families together there are many things that you grew up doing differently that you have to talk through and eventually settle on how your family will do things. For us, it wasn’t chili and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You should definitely try it if you haven’t before.

Mack decided to get up and drive home today. He doesn’t get a Fall Break. He has also been sleeping alllll day. His living situation isn’t going like we had hoped—pretty sure it’s a bit more rowdy than any of us could have anticipated. He isn’t a fan and for that I am super grateful.

I haven’t taken any pictures…..but I would like to shout out Hunter Bailey and Nathan Blow for boosting my stats here on the blog for one special day last week. LOL. Hope they’re having a great Fall Break, too!

Rolo got an extra-stuffed snuffle ball on her 8th birthday. And as you know, one year is like seven years to a dog. So Rolo is in midlife. The doctor said her well check results were all good “considering her age.” Her lady parts are more droopy, she’s slightly more grumpy, less playful and sleeps a ton.

I had no thoughts when we purchased little Rolo as a puppy that she and I would be in midlife changes together, but here we are. Enjoying our midlife together. I’m her favorite and sometimes she is mine🤣🤣🤣

Happy Birthday, Rolo!! I’m glad the kids begged and pleaded for you eight years ago!

She’s a professional napper. I send the college kids pics of her almost daily. It’s their favorite thing. 🐶🐾

What a fun time with the kids this weekend in Lynchburg. Mack and Brooke even drove from Wilmington, and I’m so glad they did.

We always buy them food, do some shopping, treat everyone to ice cream, listen to their stories, and we even got to attend a football game on Saturday. And of course church at Thomas Road was so encouraging!

Our air bnb was so private and peaceful. Loved spending time on the porch with coffee and The Word.

We also went to the bridal shower for Kylie! Her wedding is getting close!

Next time we’re at Liberty it will likely be for a double graduation! Until then….!!

We didn’t know Mack was coming home until Friday afternoon, but we’re glad we got to spend some time with him. He (like the girls both did) seemed sick as soon as he woke up Saturday morning. Those early weeks of freshmen year take it out of you I suppose. But he got lots of sleep and a couple of sauna sessions to help him feel better quicker.

Rolo was happy to see him, snack with him and sleep with him again!

We sent him back just now with a full gas tank, a freshly cleaned jeep, two pounds of breakfast sausage balls, a couple dozen chocolate chip cookies, a couple new shirts and shorts, and lots of other snacks. Oh and clean, dried, folded clothes.

What’s not to love about coming home???

I also read this and thought it was true and encouraging. I hope our kids know they are loved and supported no matter what season of life they’re in and whether they take our advice or not.

So while I didn’t plan to labor on Labor Day weekend, I did end up laboring—but it was a labor of love.

Now back to our empty nest life.

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!}