Grateful Friday

 Yesterday Emma texted me, asking if I wanted to go to IKEA with her.  She wanted to look for throw pillows for her new (to her) couch.

Three of my favorite things:  Emma, IKEA and throw pillows!  I answered a quick yes and asked if we were getting meatballs.  She said if I wanted to.  A fourth favorite thing!

I'm grateful to live close to Emma.  I like to be in throw pillow collaboration proximity.  I went to Trader Joe's and Winco yesterday and I saw a lot of young mothers with young children.  Some of them were having a hard time and I remember those days.  I wanted to tell them that someday they may get to go throw pillow shopping together and all the grocery store tantrums will be a distant memory.

We met up at IKEA after she was done with work.  We wandered and had a disjointed conversation about Pride and Prejudice, which she is rereading (she said she's getting a lot more out of it than she did when she read it in 8th grade....) and reels I saw on Instagram.  We found a glass bottle and some cute napkins for me and pillows for her.  She found a console table she liked, but alas, it was out of stock.  

She said, sadly, looking at the display, "But they have one right here."

She is going to try to order it online.  I saw that the shelf I wanted to buy to replace the one that my student climbed on and broke in May was on sale.  I had wanted to go with Adam or Mark, but we were there and it was on sale.  Also, guess who is strong?  Emma.

We got it on the cart and I bought it.  I detoured at the little food court at the end and bought us each a strawberry ice cream cone.  They are so good.  They're more of a sorbet than ice cream, just nice and tart.  Emma and I were each holding our ice cream cone with one hand and pushing one handle of the cart with the other.  We got to Joan and had a conundrum because now what were we going to do?  We carefully put the ice cream cones into the cupholders and (mostly strong girl Emma) got the shelf into the back.  I complimented her on her strength.

She said, "I mostly used physics in my favor."

She deserved that strawberry ice cream cone.

I'm grateful Adam is home!  He is busier and travels more than either of us prefer, but I appreciate him and I appreciate how hard he works. (I'm grateful Mark went to the airport last night to get him, because he got home late.)

I'm grateful we get another celebrity sighting of Braeden and Anna and their cute babies.  We are going to Starr Valley today to be there for their stopover on their way back to CA.  I am staying until the 19th; Adam is going for a few days, then back to Nashville and then will rejoin me, along with Mark.  I love being home, but being there is a lot like being home and I'm looking forward to it.

I'm planning to spend time with my sisters and my dad, cross-stitch, paint, read, take walks and manifest zero mice in our house.