Mostly, it doesn’t seem empty when the kids are not at home.

But I can’t believe how full it is when they are.

The piano is making music at the hands of Leland. Amanda is running up and down in the steps in high-heeled boots.

The doors are opening and slamming. Their computers are singing, their cell phones are ringing.

There are messenger bags and computer cases and coats and gloves and scarves and more coats and more scarves, all strewn about the front hallway.

There is laughter and poetry and conversation.

There are dinners together. And people sitting at the kitchen table while Bruce cooks.

There are friends in and out of the house. There are lots of hugs and smiles and laughs.

There are late nights and sleeping in past noon. (Them ... not me!)

There are stories of friends, of classes, of futures yet to be.

Amanda hasn’t been home for weeks. Leland hasn’t been home for months.

Bu this particular day that they are both home during Christmas break is like all those after-school days, when they would run home breathless, book bags flying behind them.

They had so many stories to tell. Papers to show. Homework to do.

And now, they’ve got days and days and days and days to catch us up on.

Work. Classes. Parties. Apartments. Friends. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Decisions. Jobs.

Next semester. Next summer. Next year.

The rest of their lives.

Gosh, I hope they don’t leave out a thing.

‹ Phyllis R. Sigal is design editor at The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register and designer of Ohio Valley Parent. She is the mom of Amanda, 21, and Leland, 19.