When Timing is Everything (and Nothing Goes as Planned)

The Pink Sloth in its natural habitat: under a canopy of spring dreams.

Saturday started slow—which felt just right.

We’d gone to bed late the night before after a long evening catching up around the fire. Stories, laughter, and the kind of quiet comfort that only comes with familiar faces and glowing embers.

The next morning, we made waffles again in the Pink Sloth and this time we invited our nephew in to join us for breakfast. There's something extra cozy about sharing a homemade meal in a tiny space surrounded by trees.

Our plan was to be in Vancouver by 7 p.m. to see my dear friend Lien and her family, but we weren’t in a rush. We gave ourselves permission to take it slow and soak in the day.

On our way out of Pemberton, we stopped at North Arm Farm—a charming spot we’d heard about. The girls were delighted with a midday ice cream, and we picked up a few local goodies for the road. That simple stop added just the right amount of sweetness to the day (literally and figuratively).

Big swings, bigger smiles. North Arm Farm magic.

The drive that followed brought us through some truly spectacular scenery—views of Howe Sound and Burrard Inlet that made us pull over just to take it all in. The kind of views that remind you how lucky people are to call this corner of the world home—and how grateful we are to pass through it, even just for a little while.

Just a dad, a daughter, and a little slice of Lions Bay magic.

Since Easter was the next day, we pulled into a Walmart parking lot near Lien’s house, just outside of Vancouver in a town called Coquitlam, so I could stock up on a few last-minute chocolates—to help the Easter Bunny, of course. While we were there, we decided to make burgers in the Pink Sloth—our version of a roadside dinner before the visit.

"The Pink Sloth parked and waiting... little did we know how much love was about to pile in!" 🚐💬✨

With all the plans changing so much over the last few months, I had only given Lien an approximate time frame of when we might be in her area. I didn’t want to set anything in stone or get either of our hopes up, just in case the timing didn’t work out. We both knew how fluid road life can be—and how easy it is for well-meaning plans to slip away.

I had called her earlier in the week to check if she’d be around for Easter weekend, and we had agreed to meet up around 7 p.m. on Saturday after her family’s party.

We were finishing up dinner in the Walmart parking lot, and I had just sent her a message saying we’d be a little late.

Then suddenly, Arielle yelled, “They’re here! Right here!” And sure enough, a white van pulled in beside us.

It was Lien and her three kids, all smiles and surprise, spilling out of the van like a scene from a movie. Her son—just a few weeks older than Arielle—had spotted our bus as they were driving by, and they turned around without a second thought.

We had planned to meet at their house around 7 p.m. and stay with them until Tuesday or Wednesday. But instead of a quiet arrival after dinner, we found ourselves reunited on time—right there in the Walmart parking lot, mid-burger, mid-chaos, mid-laughter.

It was one of those moments that felt like the universe giving us a wink.

Everyone piled into the bus like it was the most natural thing in the world. Arielle and Élyssa quickly took charge of the plan: I would ride in Lien’s car, while all the big kids stayed in the bus with Simon—everyone except Nolan, her youngest, who stayed tucked into mama’s arms.

"When you plan to meet at a house... but the parking lot party is even better. So much love squeezed into one little bus!" 💛🚐👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

The laughter, the chaos, the ease of it all—it reminded me of the best kind of reunions. The ones where you don’t have to warm up or catch up—you just pick up where life left off and let the present take over.

Seeing Lien again, after all these years and all these layers of life, was emotional in a way I didn’t fully expect. I'm so proud of the life she's built—a family so full of love, laughter, and kindness that even an unexpected soul found its way in.

After their second child, Emilia, Lien and Jesse had decided their family was complete. Jesse even had a vasectomy. But life—and love—had other plans.

Along came Nolan, a happy, wide-eyed surprise who instantly became the missing piece they never knew they needed. It’s rare—something like a 1 in 10,000 chance—but sometimes, even when you think every door is closed, life finds a way in.

Watching her with her three children, seeing the way their family fit together so naturally, was beautiful. It reminded me that sometimes, the best things are the ones we never plan for—the ones that show up unannounced, just like they did in the Walmart parking lot that night.