I retired four and a half years ago, but I discovered today that I am a stay-at-home mom. The light dawned while I was texting with both daughter Kate and her son David at the same time. She was home from work and commenting on how cold it was in New Jersey. David had a break at work and chatted with me while he ate. Daughter Lise in Denmark called via Messenger to tell me some good news. We talked well past her bed time. I looked at a message from son John $ that came in during that call. He was letting us know there is another special train show on TV tonight. This was highly unusual to communicate with all three children and one grandchild in the space of an hour. I’m thrilled I was at home and could do it.
Stay-at-Home Mom
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Mehrling Muse 
That is wonderful! Its so nice when they all call. You are very blessed!
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It was wonderful to talk to everyone, with no one in crisis mode.
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I get that, Anne. It is good to not have the drama of the young stay at home mom and to enjoy being a stay at home mom just as a mom. Moms are good listeners.
Susie
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A Stay in Touch Mom. How nice they call with bits of their lives – the unimportant stuff that is charmingly important. Cool
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😀😀
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Retirement sure does have its benefits!
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Marvelous, isn’t it?
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It’s wonderful how modern technology makes it so much easier for people to stay in touch.
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That’s the best kind of day!
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We all take instant technological communication/connection for granted now. It seems so normal, and to be able to do it with so many of your family members within an hour is way cool. But it’s easy to forget that, so your post is a good reminder to be grateful.
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I can go weeks without talking to our children. That’s because they know what I’m doing, and nothing is terribly good or bad in their lives. I’m grateful for that.
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Such a good day and all at once .
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How great to ‘ talk ‘ to the four of them together. Almost like they were sitting with you.
Miriam
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We have noticed an odd phenomenon in our household in that we might not hear from the kids in a week or so, but then we will hear from one and the other two contact us generally withing 15 minutes. They live states and job schedules apart so it’s quite odd. I love it, though 🙂
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That is amazing that they are sort of coordinated.
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Retirement has been a blessing for me too. I love being available to babysit my grandchildren at a moment’s notice and free to take my son (who sometimes works evenings rather than during the day) out for breakfast.
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That’s great. I’m so happy for you.
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You were as “in touch” with everyone as if it was a holiday. Thank goodness for modern technology!
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I love quick calls from the children and grandchildren. My mother and I corresponded with weekly letters. It was enough to keep us up to date with major things.
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That works – my mom used to write to her mom weekly too and then she started calling her after 7:00 p.m. every Wednesday. They’d talk for five minutes – had a timer nearby and the timer would ring and they’d hang up in 30 seconds. Hard to say everything you want in five minutes though.
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Maybe you get used to limitations. It’s lovely that we aren’t limited with blogs and email.
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That is true – life was a lot simpler then. Sometimes I would not mind returning to that era to be truthful.
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What a novel idea to be a stay-at-home Mom as a retiree. After a long teaching career, I retired three years ago. Technology, in this case, is a wonderful tool to remain in touch with family and friends. Sometimes the iPad at the ready for photos, “rings” and startles me. Our daughter wanting to FaceTime with me. I have many dear friends abroad whom I would love to “catch up with” via technology. Loved your post today, Anne. Enjoy the weekend.
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We try to take advantage of technology without letting it rule our lives. It’s so much fun to keep in touch.
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Agree about not letting it invade our lives too much. There are advantages and disadvantages alike. Trying to remember time zones where friends and family are is sometimes a challenge.
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That’s the stuff some of my dreams are made of, Anne. Over the years I can remember two events of my sons and I all text messaging silliness together over the course of a day. Sweet memories.
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Isn’t there an old saying, What goes around, comes around? Enjoy them while we can my friend.
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My cup runneth over! Logan is still talking about your poem. It really made a deep impression on him.
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Feast or famine sometimes, Anne..:) Where in New Jersey does your daughter live? Must be a change from where she grew up..:)
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Our daughter lives in Demarest, NJ. The town is 20 minutes from the George Washington Bridge.. She grew up in Stony Brook on Long Island, 50 miles from the city. People commute from there, but houses are more spread out.
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That’s Bergen County, I think. One of my daughters lives up there in Wyckoff. So it wasn’t much of a change for her..:)
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You are right. There isn’t a lot of difference between metropolitan NJ and Long Island. I was the one with culture shock, moving from rural West Tennessee to Queens.
I don’t know NJ well, only the towns we have driven through. Demarest is in Bergen County. Do you get to visit your daughter often?
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Yes, she’s only 40 or so minutes from us. We’re in Morris County so not too far. I grew up in Passaic County, about 10-15 minutes outside the city.
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That’s marvelous that she is so close.
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This is sweet!
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