All's right

It's been spring break here for the kids. YS spent his vacation with Grandma and Grandpa, while DD spent her time working and being with friends. Typical, age-approprate, busy offspring -type activities.
Wednesday evening DH and I were watching TV and I made a remark about how quite the house seemed. Even if YS was home and in his room playing video games there would've been some noise. The fit of laughter, the whine of frustration or the playing with the dog and his toys would've produced some noise. If DD was home then the steady beat of bass from whatever song she has blasting would've been felt. So, had the kids been home, we'd have had the usual "home" noises. Nothing loud or obnoxious, just the undercurrent of our kid's daily muses.
But Wednesday night there was nothing. And it was quiet. Dead quiet. So I made the remark - it was that quiet. A different quiet than during the day when the kids are in school. It was a deeper quiet. Did I mention how quiet it was? Like it had some kind of finality to it. That kind of quiet. I liked it.
Wednesday turned into Thursday, Thursday into Friday, Friday into Saturday. We hadn't seen much of DD. She was in and out with work. friends to see, places to be - just the way it should be for someone her age.
By Saturday night it had begun to sink in. The house was too quite for me. I was missing the little guy (ok so he's not that little anymore, but he's still MY littlest one). I saw DD just often enough to know what was going on in her life. I've talked (and seen) OS and FDIL a couple of times and even talked to YS over the phone but there was still something missing.
It was the bedtime hug. Every night YS gets a hug and a kiss when tucked into bed for the night. Safe and sound. I"ve been giving those things out for over 25 years now (boy iof that doesn't date me!!!). I hadn't had that reassurance in 4 days already. I know that's he's ok at Grandma's and grandpas, don't get me wrong here but there's something to be said for the night time routine of a child - even if it's really for the parent.
Last night YS came home, full of stories of all the things he had done over the break. We listened to them all, laughed when it was funny and showed fake horror when the occasssion arised. And then it was time. Off to the shower and then on to bed he went. Hugs o'plenty for everyone. Kisses too. And then it was time to turn out the light and close the door with wishes for a good night's sleep.
Hubby and I went back downstairs to finish watching our program before we retired for the evening. We had just settled back down when we heard the bathroom door upstairs close and the dog barking (he doesn't like to be seperated by a door - he's kind of weird that way). I smiled. All was right in my world.