Unexpected Gift

This week Hannah started a kid’s woodworking class. The teacher greeted the students and parents, and then told the parents that we were free to leave and come back in an hour. Hannah asked me to stick around for the first 10 minutes or so, but she happily waved good bye as soon as she had a hammer in her hot little hands. And for my part I wasn’t all that eager to try to sit in a plastic chair and entertain a 7-month-old amidst the racket of 8 preschoolers learning to pound nails into wood.

I hadn’t been expecting to have any time to myself, it was an unexpected gift to have 45 free minutes on a beautiful afternoon. Jacob was ready for a nap, and so I tucked him into the Maya Wrap and considered the world my oyster. Since I was in the neighbourhood I decided to take a walk along the Shoreline Trail in Port Moody. I could smell spring in the air, along with the first whiff of skunk cabbage, and I just walked and walked.

And then, when I could walk no more, I returned to pick up Hannah just in time. The racket of hammering had stopped, and she proudly showed me her sanding block. It will stay in the classroom for the next few weeks, to be used on the other projects.

Now I’m looking forward to the next class. What will I do? Where will I go? Perhaps I will visit Starbucks, or the library, or take a walk in the other direction. The possibilities abound! (As long as Jacob’s happy to snooze in the baby carrier, that is). I love my children, but there is something about an unexpected hour that is magic. It’s not so long that I feel the need to be productive. I could hardly schedule a doctor’s appointment or make it to the grocery store and back. It’s just long enough to feel the wind in my hair and smell the salt air before I collect my happy little carpenter again.

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