Take a Minute

Yesterday, Abigail woke from a much needed nap earlier than Simon. She doesn't wake ready for the next thing. She needs a few minutes. She came into the living room and curled up in the sunny warmth of the green chair. We sit it close to the wall because sometimes you feel as if you will be dumped out on your head, as if your body weight has somehow made the chair determine to take revenge. She started staring out the window.

What are you thinking about?

Nothing. I'm just looking at the pine cones. 

Do you want me to get the tree book so we can figure out what it is? 

Yes.

I retrieved the tree book from our library. Smiling while remembering that I got it for competing in the 4-H National Forestry Competition. Don't tell my forester father, but I can't identify the conifer standing on the east side of our house. We got the book out and narrowed the tree to the spruce family. Beyond that I can't tell. No matter what it is a sparsely-limbed and poorly-coned spruce. We identified the other two spruces we could see from our window.

It was a sweet time cuddled in the chair, looking and talking and guessing. I am so glad I didn't walk passed her. I am encouraged to remember to take a minute to be with them. It fills us all up.