An unexpected reprieve

Yesterday, on her way to work, my Mom phoned me.

"What would you think if I took Sarah with me to Vancouver this weekend?"

pause.

"... are you serious?!?" - said I, thinking don't play with me here by dangling this offer in front of me then taking it away.


"Sure! I'm leaving after work on Thursday and will come home after the shower on Sunday. Rachel will be around to help, and we'll be staying at GG and Papa's."

"Yup, ok, sounds good, love it!" me again.

Now before you go thinking that I'm some ungrateful horrible parent, and why did I become a parent anyways, if all I ever do is talk about vacations and holidays away from my children and about how much they drive me crazy, know this: Travis left today for a middle school conference in Victoria, meaning I was going to be left alone with two kids for three days. Three long days. Three days that by the end, I may not have been alive, or at least sane. Sarah has this ...... um....... challenging aspect to her. Come spend a day with me, and you'll see. ( I can say this now because mom and Sarah are already on the road, and it's too late to bring her back! Besides, she'll be a perfect angel for Mom et al. and will promptly drive me to the brink as soon as she gets back.)

And so, it's me and Ben. I get to spend three days with my boy. He'll hardly know his good fortune to have minutes, hours even, on end of mommy time. Time where no one will steal his toy, or step on his hands, or lay on top of his whole body trying to squish him, or push him over, or scream for no reason. I'm thinking that I'll maybe teach him what a horse says, or maybe a cow. It's probably time for him to know that stuff. Important, I know.

I've already had sushi for dinner, and tomorrow, I clean. This boy can still nap twice a day, and I plan to use every minute. We're going out to the Dykstras to talk about stamping and other stuff, and I'm sure Graham will be confused as to where Sarah is.

Which leads me to this. As I was packing up her stuff, and talking to her about going on a trip to Vancouver with Nana, and seeing GG and Papa, I was thinking about how much I was going to miss my bear. I still don't really relish the idea of me and two kids for three days. That does NOT sound one bit fun to me. But miss going to Granville market with her. Going for walks to DQ from my grandparents place. Going to the park. Seeing her with my Mom and Grandma and Papa. Seeing her excitement at the bridal shower for my cousin (hope it's not a surprise).

It's the paradox of parenthood. They can drive you so, so crazy, but explode your heart with so much love all at the same time.