something for him

My husband, as we were preparing for bed a few days ago, asked me if I would be okay with him taking a class at a local woodworking studio.  He has been talking about taking classes for years, but has never managed to fit them into his schedule.  This class would be in the evening, on the only weeknight evening we all have at home as a family.  As usual, my first impulse was to say no.  I struggle with flexibility and changed plans, mostly because my days are scheduled down to the minute.  We have such precious little time with my husband, and it’s challenging to solo-parent my children at the end of the day (when I am drained and they get a sudden burst of manic energy).

But I didn’t say no.  I thought about all the times he has watched the kids so I could run errands or taken them on a walk so I could do some uninterrupted tasks.  So much of his time is spent doing things for others, which he does gladly—it’s the nature of his character and his job.  But, as most clergy families will tell you, it’s hard to empty ourselves without ever having a chance to recharge our batteries.  (Sorry for the mixed metaphor!)  I knew this would be an opportunity for him to recharge.

He arrived home bearing a beautiful (and really substantial) cutting board that he had made, thrilled at using all the fancy equipment at the studio.  {I shared a little last year about the table he made for our dining room. It’s beautiful!}  I’m excited to see where this new hobby will take him.

p.s. The kids and I found a new walking trail that's closer to our house than our other favorites.  They were all entranced by the waterfall and threw quite a bit over it, just to see it zip past.  The boys tried to get that big log over the falls, too--M rolled it all the way up the the brink, but some bushes on the edge thwarted him.