My baby started high school & seminary today (seminary is a worldwide, four-year religious educational program for youth ages 14 through 18).  My kids are quite independent already (they wake themselves up, etc.), so all that is different is that all my kids are gone earlier, & I’m not “hanging out” with her in the morning.

Seminary is at 6 AM, & since Mark teaches them, it was just me & the dog, Cooper, for an hour.  When they left, Cooper seemed to say, “oh, it’s starting again…”, & went to “his spot” on the couch to sleep.  They were back briefly at 7, & when they left again, Cooper briefly looked at me, like, “Who do I play with now?”, & then settled down to rest on his blanket beside me…

Oh, good grief!  I have no kids to talk about, so I’m talking about our dog!  Ah! What will I do in 4 years?!?  I won’t even be 50 years old—my mom had a 2 year old kid when I’ll have an empty nest!