I’ve been talking about it for quite sometime, but it finally happened – the Empty Nest.

    Yep, my daughter Liana (and only girl child) got married and movedsome of her belongings from the house.

    She’s been like an only child for the past 10 or 12 years. All ofthe other kids left the nest a long time ago and have made nests oftheir own now.

    I knew the day would come, and Dennis and I were actually lookingforward to it – until the day it happened.

    She eloped a few months ago and married a really nice fellow,Zane.

    He had an apartment here in town, so it didn’t feel like she wasreally gone. In fact, she only moved a suitcase full of clothes totheir apartment. She didn’t take any furniture, not even her dog.She left Sir Barkley here with us while she got settled into hernew life and her new job after graduating from college in May.

    Besides, she was home just about every day to eat or to pick upsomething she needed at her new place. As for the dog, he was stillhome. He had no worries.

     Plus, she knew at the endof October she and her husband would be leaving on their honeymoonto Italy – why uproot the dog, just to bring him back to my housefor 10 days.

    So off they go on their honeymoon.

    For me, it was 10 days of torture, because they didn’t have cell orInternet service but once or twice the whole time they weregone.

    I didn’t realize until then that she and I had not gone that manydays without at least chatting or texting with one another. Evenwhen she lived at the dorm at college, we chatted at least once aday. Plus, I knew the college was less than 10 miles from home. Itwasn’t like it was across the world on a different continent.

    To make matters worse, I knew when she did return from herhoneymoon that she and her new husband would be moving toHattiesburg where their new jobs awaited. Zane’s company hadtransferred him there and Liana had asked for a transfer with hernursing job.

    Still, I knew moving day was coming.

    Before they left on their honeymoon, they were packing boxes andgetting everything ready to move. But it really didn’t dawn on methat she was really leaving town until I saw the U-Haul truckparked outside of their apartment.

    I had to fight back the tears all morning during moving day.

    As I was leading the caravan of vehicles to Hattiesburg, I wipedaway several tears and had to keep thinking of other things to keepfrom just bawling. It’s probably a good thing Dennis wasn’t ridingwith me. He would have made fun of me, although, I did notice a sadlook on his face a time or two during the day.

    I see a lot of Hattiesburg trips in my future.

    I’m almost jealous of my husband. His job is in Hattiesburg, whichmeans he’ll see a lot more of Liana and Zane than I will.

    Everyone keeps picking on me and telling me not to worry. “They mayleave the nest, but they always come back and they bring friends,”they say.

    That may be true in some cases, but I made sure there was room forDennis and me at Liana’s new place.

    As I was helping Liana apartment hunt in Hattiesburg, I made sureshe got a two-bedroom, two-bath place, so when Dennis and I havesome free time we can go and visit.

    She may see so much of us that she may be wishing we’d stayaway!

    I knew this day would come. I was even looking forward to it – becareful what you wish for, as my mother used to say.

    My nest is now empty, except for Dennis, three dogs and a parrot. Iguess that’s really not very empty.

    And how was your week?

    Lifestyles Editor Tammie Brewer can be reached at The DAILYLEADER at (601) 833-6961 ext. 134, by e-mail attbrewer@dailyleader.com or you can write to her at P.O. Box 551,Brookhaven MS 39602.