Right where I want to be

Last Friday we had lunch with Olivia and Edgar and family.  It was fun.  I like those guys.  My favorite part of the meal was when Edgar asked me if I could keep Olivia quiet and I said I'd been trying for over 40 years to no avail.

Edgar doesn't always say a lot but when he does say stuff it often makes me laugh.  I can't imagine a better husband for Olivia.  (Or dad for those cute Cobian kids.)

We had dinner that night with my mom and Marianne and Liberty and Carolina.  I like those guys too.  They came to watch Emma's choir concert which was so nice of them.  We had tickets for Saturday night so we saw them before and after the concert.

In between, we went to the BYU Women's Basketball game to watch Paisley play.  I think it's the beginning of a new pastime!  Stephanie and Brent were there and I loved sitting next to Stephanie.  Old friends are the very best kind.  You pick up where you last left off and it feels wonderful.  Stephanie just gets me.  We saw Morgan, Emma's friend from Seattle Hill ward days.  She's in the BYU Cougar Band and was there with her trumpet.  We saw Jennie, Emma's friend from Everett 3rd ward days.  Being around all my Everett people makes me miss my old life.  Mark and Gavin were happy to see each other and started talking and continued the conversation they started when Mark was two and Gavin was four.  They are practically brothers.

We loved watching Paisley play!  I was remembering one day years ago when I was watching Paisley and Gavin.  We went to the little park in our neighborhood.  One of the swings was looped over the beam way up high and Paisley shimmied up the pole and grabbed the chain and swung it back over.  Her athleticism was sort of astounding and now she's a college basketball player.  And a pretty incredible one too.  The game was awesome!  With three minutes left BYU was 10 points behind.  They rallied and tied the game and it went into overtime.  (It was a lot for this drama/choir mama to handle.  I'm used to more sedate viewing experiences.)

BYU ended up winning!

The only sad part of this story is that I forgot my phone at home and so didn't take one picture.

Saturday we headed back to BYU to watch Emma's concert.  I cried for several of the songs because they were so beautiful.

And I cry easily OK?

As a bonus we could actually see Emma this time and didn't have to just take it on faith that she was up there.  I love watching her sing.  It's like the whole world has melted away and she just feels the music.

After, we met some of her friends...

...and saw Hayden Call who is from Washington and was in plays with Braeden at GPHS.  He's super talented and always has been.

We went to Wendy's because Mark is apparently in charge.  (He worked so hard to convince us to go there Braeden asked him if he had stock in Wendy's.)  We went to the Wendy's right by campus so it was full of college kids.  One boy didn't have a shirt on which seemed weird.  Isn't there a no shirt no shoes no service rule?  And also, November.  Braeden offered Mark $5 to go up to the guy and give him his flannel shirt that he was wearing over a t-shirt.  I said no.  Mark, ever the mercenary, asked Braeden if he'd give him $10.  "Yes," Braeden said, "Right now, do it."

 Mark asked Adam if he'd match it.  Adam said he would.

"No!" I said.  For one thing I don't like to draw attention to myself (I am pretty much in the wrong family), and for another thing I didn't want Mark to give away his shirt.

"Adam, no," I said again.

Mark said, "Dad, I don't think Braeden and I are getting any more mature.  I think we make you less mature."

Emma said, "That is SO true."

We ate and laughed and did draw attention to us whether I liked it or not.

When we dropped Emma off, I walked up to her dorm with her to help her carry stuff.  When I got back to the car, the boys in the backseat were laughing so hard they were practically hyperventilating.

We dropped Braeden off next and I realized something.  I miss our friends and family in Washington. I do.  I miss who I was there and I just miss the history.  I don't have friends like that here, at least not yet.  But going to BYU and being uplifted by all the goodness there, watching Emma perform, hearing our children laugh together and spending time with our college kids is a blessing.

I'm right where I want to be.