What parents think when their kids all grow up

I have read what has been said first on our anniversary and what Mom said about being thankful for what we have done in raising you all up.
First off when we started our family college classes on marriage and family relations was still about 5 years away from being offered. Second we were excieted about starting a family but really naieve on how hard it was going to be. Not only did I have to finish school and then get a job but we had to fit raising up the first 3 of you on little money. It only slowly got better as I started working more and more. For every day of overtime I worked I always felt as if I had missed something special in each of your lives. And yes I realize that with scouting and Ham radio I missed things as well and I regret not spending more time with each and everyone of you. I am very proud of how you have turned out who you picked as spouses and how for the most part we still get along pretty well. When we made mistakes we did so because we are not or ever have been perfect. We are still working on becoming better and trying hard not to make the same mistakes a second or third time.(or fourth or fifth or sixth time)
I had to chuckle a bit when we started getting calls asking if everything was alright after Kellee was gone all of 3 days. We actually have been looking forward to trying to remember what it is like to get to know each other again. That doesn't mean that we don't want to have you visit or call, but we actually are finding things to do together that we used to do but somehow never seemed to be able to do because of plays, recitals, concerts, parent teacher conferences always seemed to be in the schedule.
Its also so nice not to have to cook to make sure that what ever was fixed would be eaten by the kids. We can now have various foods that haven't been on the menu because of some of our children and their picky eating habits.
I could wish that we could retire soon and have all the free time in the world but it isn't going to happen. What we want is to have family get togethers where our home is the meeting place for everyone to come and know that you are loved and wanted to VISIT. Hopefully this Christmas since I have off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after all off we can have a party and play games and eat lots of goodies.
I love you all, take good care of your spouse, try to be better than we were (it shouldn't be too hard) Love your children and teach them correct principles. Dad.

This is in response to the two previous blogs.
Reading those was thanks!!!
As a grandparent you wonder what your kids think of their childhood.
apparently as a parent i did do one or two things in an ok way.

I have always enjoyed sewing for my kids and now my grandkids. I also enjoyed
the trip to boise , helping with the kids(wasn't sure if getting them ready was appreciated or not, but now i know it was,)and seeing Makaylas' excitement for the dress. I hear that she
wears it every week and likes that no one else has one like it, as with some of her
other dresses. i consider that a thank you. I would like a picture of her in that dress
sometime.

Thanks again for being wonderful children and grown-up people and for having THE Best
children in the world,

Need to go and take a sleeping child out of highchair and put her to bed