empty nest?

as you can see from the title, our little one had her first sleep over last night.  she stayed at her grandmother's a few towns over, as terri had work in nyc and i have to work until 10.
it was a big step...for elsie and for us.  i felt really sad knowing that i wouldn't wake up with her right next to me, smiling and ready to take on the day.
i'll see her tonight and the briefly tomorrow before she gets picked up again. such is the life of working parents.
it was weird waking up today without elsie here.  i mean it was like she never existed and the past fifteen months were all a dream.  i looked into her room and saw all of the things that make her happy, i looked around the living room and at the three dvd yo gabba gabba set that i purchased for her and was happy that she is part of my life.
the choice on having her stay over was very practical for all of the parties involved.  we all would've been that much more tired and cranky if this didn't happen.  hell, i even stayed up until about 2am last night.  a rare occasion indeed.
so, that is is.  the first tingling (or sting) of the empty nest.
here's another thing for someone-you know who you are:

we were looking forward to seeing you last saturday.  we were looking forward to you interacting with you niece.  but you couldn't.  you made a big deal about being able to drink and how were you going to do that and get back home.  i knew when you were saying this to me at the mall on friday, that you weren't coming (again.)  i could even smell the schnapps on you breath (at a mall in the afternoon?!?) you had all f this time when we could've all been together as a family and you decided to climb into a bottle instead.  i can't judge you, but i want you to see the effect that drinking had on me this past weekend.  we are all older now.  we are all in our respected positions in life.  we all have the ability to achieve and to make the best out of our situations.  please get out of your rut.  please remember that all of us are counting on you and that you have a place in this world with us, your job and mostly to your self.  the time has come to let any past indiscretion go away and be left to childhood innocence.  and if hargis and i could do it, SO CAN YOU.  it's not a bad thing once you've gotten past the kicking and screaming part of the first two months.  then you see.  you see the folly, the weakness and the utter insanity are the only things that addiction can give to you.  and guess what friend:  it wants to take more and more of you without giving as much back after a while.  don't be the one who turns around one day and wonders where everything and everyone went.  the bottle will still be there, but guess what: it won...