A Full House

It took the husband and I twenty-five years to attain this; a full house.  Our first born, our daughter was born 3 years after we were married, the beginning of the family that we were creating.  Four years later our first born son arrived, bringing a new direction for us. Another four years later and we added a second son to our midst.  It was three and half years after this that our last little boy arrived.  Our family was complete.  This family of six kept us moving.   

In a blink of an eye, the new life for us began.  Schools days started fast and furious, a constant race forward.  Milestones of preschool, kindergarten, grade school and high school really seemed to be a blur as each child mastered a new level.  With each child, the directions were a little different.  A tweak here, an adjustment there gently guided these little people to their full potential.  There were days I was sure that our manuscript for this role was written in Greek, honestly didn’t know which way was right.  Somehow we managed, accomplishments were achieved, confidence established and graduations attained. 

And then it began, the oldest left, moved on to college, living independently, thoroughly enjoying her life.  Our proudest moment was her college graduation, the ultimate accomplishment.  Somehow in just a matter of time, the next child also moved on, off to college so many miles away.  Our once full house was shrinking in size.  It has been fourteen years since there were just two children in the house and now we were back to those numbers again.  Honestly, it feels a little off, workable but different all the way around.

It’s the little things, planning meals for four people seems ridiculous at times.  Cleaning up after these same four, a quick maneuver.  Even emptying the dishwasher seems like half a job most days.  The laundry chore often feel like I should just wait another day or two more.  All of this is a true sign of the changes in our home, another direction in our lives. 

I know it’s not over yet, the two remaining children will also move on with their lives in a very short time.  Our nest will definitely be shrinking and adjustment will have to be made.  But in the meantime I think I’ll just savor the times we are having, long for the return of the independent ones for visits and thank God for all that we have in our lives.

Did I hear that?

It does take one to know one.

Having lived with hearing issues all my life, periods of retesting are always necessary. Often with anxiety I would enter “the box”; it was sound proofed and very intimating in appearance. One lone chair sat inside this dark and ominous looking place. A large window inside was the link between myself and the technician performing the tests. Upon my head would be placed a huge headset and through these would come the sounds to be evaluated. After giving the instructions on how to designate which sounds were actually heard, the technician would leave and close the door between myself and the outside world.

With that the testing would begin; a series of pitches, tones and noises would be passed through the headset awaiting my responses. Feeling confident in the beginning; I would signal appropriatedly to each sound heard. But as time would pass, it always seemed that my world would slow down. Self doubt would creep in, nervously I would pondered each and every possible noise that I heard. Did I hear that? Was that it? Surely it hasn’t been that quiet all this time? That was a beep, right? Right, left right? Am I almost finished? It’s been forever since I really heard something, right? Finally the technician would signal through the glass window that the testing was completed. The intimidating door would open, I was allowed to leave. The testing results would be complied and follow up forthcoming.

I don’t think anyone who has shared this repeated testing every really forgets it. So like a private club, I claim these hearing tests for my fellow hearing impaired friends, truly it does take one to know one.