Empty

Houses are made to be lived in. Everyone knows that a house that stands empty for too long will need repairs that a lived in house does not need. They are built for people and absorb the energy of those people. My house has a lot of energy. Partly because there are a lot of people in it, but I think more so because there are children that live here. Children bring a certain vitality to a home that you can not get in a house of adults. There always seems to be a low level hum around here. There are kids on the phone, watching TV, reading, on the computer, talking, laughing - just being - at almost any given moment. When bed time finally rolls around about 10 or so and everyone is asleep there's a hush that blankets the place. You can feel it. It's heavy and warm. If you've ever been in a house when all of the children are sleeping you know what I mean. When one or more of the kids are gone, or even all of them you can tell. There is an emptiness to the house. That emptiness is here now. Allie, Jane and Krysty are in Wisconsin visiting Kraig. Fiona is with Phil and Penny for the afternoon so that I can get caught up on some work (which I pretty much have). Doug is even gone for the week on business. The house feels empty and lonely. There is something missing. The girls' rooms sit expectantly with beds that need to be made, books on tables and desks, and shoes kicked haphazardly around. There is comfort in knowing they left it that way knowing they would be back. Knowing that they would only be gone a relatively short time and they would be back to pick up the book, make the bed and run off with friends again.
Today the house is empty and anxious. Today the missing presense of children and family is felt deeply. I miss them. I know they will be home soon but I still miss them. 34 days until they are home.
The house can wait, and so can I.