Welcome to the final installment of my Memoirs of an Empty Nester blog series. I appreciate everyone who came along with me on this journey. Next week begins a brand-new blog series, The Company We Keep. Each week I will focus on someone in my life and the value that they bring to it. But for now, my thoughts on being an empty nester.

For the past month, I’ve shared my views on spending time alone again with Angie now that the kids are gone. This week, that’s all out the window. Angie is in Orlando for the next seven days on a business trip. First, I lost Kayla. Then Tyler. Now Angie’s gone. I’m an empty nester in every aspect. Except for two. I still have Bailey and Phoebe with me. They are our Cavalier King Charles companions that help make our house a home.

Since it was just the three of us last night, we were inseparable. I threw ball with them while I grilled. They like to play a game where they chase the ball, sniff it, and then leave it for me to run across the yard, pick up, and throw again. If I didn’t know any better, I think it’s their way of saying, “You need a bit more exercise. You’re welcome, fatty!” Then we all watched a movie together. Actually, I watched the movie while holding chew toys in both hands that they each tugged at for the better part of an hour. Then we went to bed and Bailey draped over my knees, while Phoebe spread out across my chest. They wanted to snuggle and to make sure I wasn’t going anywhere. It was a fantastic night. It reminded me that while I was trying to be a better husband to Angie now that the kids were out of the house, I needed to spread some of this love around to our four-legged friends as well.

I thought of that famous song line, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.” Just because some of our loved ones are not with us anymore, for whatever reason, doesn’t mean we don’t love them any less. What it does mean is that we should never take for granted the friends and family we do have the pleasure of doing life with. These times won’t last either. Everything changes. Miss the ones that are far away. Remember the ones that have passed on. But always make time for the ones that are right in front of you. You’ll cherish these memories one day too.