So, things have been pretty hectic around here. (And every single time I say or think that, I know that this is just a drop in the bucket, and things are going to get a whole lot busier.) Eldest plays Single A hockey, Middlest plays Select hockey but because the coach wants to take this team up to Single A next year, he actually has as much or more ice time a week as his older brother. That’s 3-5 trips to the rink a week. Each. Middlest also had two weekend tournaments in November. So, yeah, things have been pretty hectic around here, and I miss my family unity.
One glorious night last week, we found ourselves all at home and I had one of the most wonderful evenings with my boys that I’ve had in a long while. Eldest played chess with Youngest while Middlest practiced his science presentation and played piano. I made a mediocre dinner of chicken strips and steamed veggies that the kids devoured. I love it when that happens. Then Middlest and I made rhubarb bread because he was doing a science presentation on rhubarb the next day, and he was all excited to make something with rhubarb to take to class. It was an epic fail as far as sharable baking goes (did not come out of the tin in one piece), but still delicious.
No, we cannot take that to school to share tomorrow.
But the rhubarb bread will still get eaten.
And while it baked, he and Youngest spontaneously decided to draw. This NEVER happens. As happy as it makes me to see my kids make art, I had no hand in it. All intrinsic motivation. It was beautiful. And with them occupied, I had time to actually sit with Eldest and chat about school. Again, this hardly ever happens because he’s independent and I’m usually needed elsewhere. Now, the kids did go to bed an hour late waiting for the baking to be done, but it was all so blissful, I didn’t want it to end.
making art
At first, my thinking went along the lines of, “See, this is the universe telling me that we have too much hockey going on.” Then, I started thinking that this was a rather ordinary night at home, and what had actually happened is that the crazy hockey schedule had actually made me savour it all the more. I savoured it not in spite of hockey, but because of it.
4 Mothers 