Terri Petry

This summer more than any other summer in my life, I am wishing that the days would go by ever so slowly.  That the time between my son and youngest child’s graduation from high school this past June 21st and the first week in August when both he and his sister, my oldest leave to start their Fall 2010 college semesters last incredibly longer than the past 6 months of 2010.

As I ponder what I’ll write about in my Publisher’s note this issue, I keep thinking about July & August and how different my home will be when both my children are gone. I think my writing about the realization and emotions I’m feeling will somehow help me to be more accepting and aware of the process we parents go through when the kids leave home.  Both of my children are going over 1,000 miles away so they won’t be returning home on the weekends to do their laundry or for a good home-cooked meal.

On one hand I couldn’t be more proud of them. My husband and I raised two very confident, self-reliant young adults. But on the other hand, I can’t believe 19 years have flown by since we started our family. So for all you Moms & Dads that either already experienced this “empty-nest” syndrome or may be thinking of the day when your children won’t be home every day, hug them tightly now and forgive them the little things we know they should be on top of – and mostly let them know how much they mean to you and how much you love them.

May your Summer & Mine be the ‘Best’ Ever,

Terri Petry, Publisher
Mercer County Woman