My husband and I are about to be empty nesters. To reconnect, we took a trip together, but it was awkward at first.

The author (right) went on a trip with her husband ahead of becoming empty nesters.

Courtesy of Rebecca Hastings

It felt like the absolute worst time to take a trip. Our son was home from college for the summer, our oldest daughter had just gotten married, and our youngest daughter had graduated from high school and was preparing to leave for college in late August.Everything in me wanted to soak up every minute I could with my kids.But a realization has been settling in: My kids are really leaving, and my husband and I will become empty nesters. We need to make our lives a bit more about us again. After more than 20 years of building our lives around our children, shifting our focus back to ourselves feels difficult.The opportunity to travel came unexpectedly, and even after I made arrangements, I nearly talked myself out of it. But I knew we had to take the trip.For the first time in decades, I agreed to a trip that wasn't about our childrenWe planned a trip to a wellness resort in the heart of the Berkshires.We would be away for four nights/five days —longer than we'd ever been away without the kids. Whether it was schedules, work, or money, something always came up. This time, we didn't let things get in the way. I made sure the kids and the dog were taken care of, and we set out to enjoy ourselves.This trip wouldn't be a family celebration or on someone else's schedule. This time, it was just about my husband and me.Driving away felt exciting and scaryI couldn't help but wonder if the kids would be OK. I found myself checking Life360 to make sure people made it where they were supposed to be.Did they feel bad that we were leaving? Would they make good choices? The questions rolled through my mind like a news ticker as we drove through the mountains.