My husband and I were looking forward to being empty nesters. Then my brother with Down syndrome asked if he could move in.

The author's brother moved in with her and her husband in 2025.Courtesy of the authorMy 50-year-old brother with Down syndrome moved in with me and my husband this year. Mark and I became very close, especially after our parents' divorce. After dropping off my daughter for college, I focused on signing up my brother for classes. The week before my husband and I were supposed to become empty nesters, piles of laundry, bedding, suitcases, pink sparkly boots, Oregon Ducks hats, and shirts crowded t