Empty Nester Adventures~ Renewing My Passion for Outdoors

Welcome!!!! **Yesterday, was the first post that I have made in a long time here in this little space. Lots of changes have taken place in my life. Please go check that post out to catch up.** 

NOBODY prepared me for this season in my life. Well, better said, I DID NOT PREPARE myself after years of homeschooling, homemaking, and investing as my number one career and ministry for this Empty Nest Season. It has been a pickle to navigate. I truly believe and know based on many of my peers that I am not alone. 

When I entered this season, I decided to refresh some passions that I have always had and hobbies I tried to have in the midst of motherhood, homeschooling, and homemaking but my time was always limited. AND NOW TIME is definitely more readily available.

I am still "busy" in a since as a Pastor's wife. I still keep the home and love homemaking. I still try to be readily available to our young adult children as they need. I volunteer for a non-profit agency. So, I do have "things" going on. But to be honest, I enjoy HOME. I enjoy SLOW LIVING. I enjoy STILL moments. But I also enjoy fellowship, outdoors, and cozy "hygge" type activities. I aim for a balance. If it was up to me, I would stay at home or in a forest on a trail all the time.

                                                  

                                     My solo retreat in January 2025 at a tree house in the woods.

With all that being said....I want to go BACK. LIKE JANUARY 2025 BACK! I want to add this here in my little space for memories and also share how my journey of navigating the Empty Nest has been. 

I have always been a fan of solo prayer retreats or small getaways to reset mentally and spiritually once a year if I can. I often did this as a homeschool mom to plan and refresh. I always benefited from this. So did my family. 

One of my passions I always had was hiking, nature walks and study and enjoying outdoors. As a family we often spent time on trails and nature walks, but as the kids got older the time became more limited, and those things got put on the back burner. 

Empty Nest loneliness hit me hard this past winter. After the holidays it was my first winter that I seemed all alone. It was lonely and it was weird. It was quiet. Yet...lots of noise was in my mind. I felt like I had no idea who I was, what to do next, and even questioned if I did right as a parent. It was a unique time. I know my identity is in Christ, but I still struggled with this new season. Up to this point I had been on several hiking trips and hiked up to 160 miles in 2024. Not all at once. I traveled out of the country and went to major bucket list hikes and places. Empty Nesting has benefits. *Smiles*  BUT there was still a strange silence and weird feeling once I would return home. 

I found a little treehouse, packed up my journal, Bible, books, snacks and hit the road to pray and seek the Lord's direction and grow in peace for my yearly solo retreat. This did wonders for my soul.  It had trails on the property I could enjoy. The treehouse spoke COZY in every area. I also visited a neat arboretum close by. Nature has a way to still your heart. Block out the distracting noise and makes me feel connected to the Lord in such a peaceful way. 

Hiking has become a regular part of my life now as an empty nester. I have learned so much on my hikes that often relate to my everyday life and spiritual walk. From perseverance, endurance, peace, being still, trust, learning to follow directions, and so much more. 

I hope you enjoyed your visit!!! I wanted to share a little look into what I have been doing this past year as I have navigated this One Season to the Next.....

If you are an empty nester.... what are some of your hobbies, passions, or interests that helped you during that new transition? If you are about to enter that season or on the threshold what are your thoughts?

Blessings,

Chrissy T