Dare I hope?

I'm half afraid to post this.
Don't want to jinx it...
yet NEED to share it.

I've had 3 (count that and weep) THREE adult children move back home over the past few months. Yes I love them. Yes I wanted to help and be here for them and understand that starting out can be rough. But THREE! Oh and I should mention I have a 2 bedroom house. Greg and I bought it to retire in by ourselves. It should have been plenty big considering he's only home 1.5 days a week.

So it was supposed to be me and my dogs with Greg getting conjugal visits on weekends in our cozy little 2 bedroom house. Instead it's been Katie using the second bedroom, Joel making do on the enclosed back porch and Doug sprawled out in the living room. You can tell by the desirability (or lack) of their accommodations who came back when.

Every closet is full. Every corner is filled. The garage and storage shed are overflowing while the cars and mowers sit dejectedly out in the snow. Naturally each of them has one (or 2) vehicles, so it looks like a used car lot outside. When Greg brings the semi tractor home for the weekend, they must all scatter like ants to make room.

So you get the picture. We're cramped beyond reason and living much closer to each other than is comfortable for any of us.

This weekend Katie plans to move out with her boyfriend. On Saturday they're looking at 2 apartments in town owned by the same man and are supposed to take their choice. Joel has announced he wants to take the one they don't so he and his fiance Shannon can move in together. Doug is hooking back up with his ex moving in with her and their son! She's in rent controlled housing so has been threatened with eviction if he continues to stay there, which they see as the golden opportunity to get out of her lease and get a place for the 3 of them.

So it's possible that within a week or 2 ALL the kids will have moved out!
I can finally have my space and sanity back!

My computer, craft table and sewing machine will go into Katies room, and her old bed will be out the door.
Our freezer, storage shelves and all the excess "stuff" from the rest of the house will go into Joels room. His old bed will be out the door.
The prevailing theme here is that there will be NO extra beds for anyone to come back to. If I thought Greg would allow it I'd remove the middle section of the couch so it would be too short to sleep on as well. ;)

My door will be locked to any and all long term overnight visitors. I will buy an inflatable mattress and when it runs out of air, you're GONE. One fill per stay.
I'm not holding my breath, but it looks possible that by Christmas I will finally have an empty nest. Dare I hope?