Grateful Friday

I'm grateful for my boys.

Yesterday Mark and I headed out to go see Braeden.  These summer days spent with Mark are good for me.  We're just two compatible souls.

We were looking forward to Braeden.

We picked him up at the Wilkinson Center and I asked, "Where do you want to go?"

He said, "I want a huge cup of water and some ice cream."  Then he added, "Oh, did you mean that?"

Yes.

So we went to Wendy's.  Braeden showed us memes from Emma's friend Miles' instagram account.  It's a tangled web, but we were cry-laughing in the Wendy's line because that kid is straight up funny. Braeden hasn't ever met him but "really wants to."

Judging from the crazy pants memes, I think I need to keep Miles and Braeden apart.

I took a picture of Braeden, who was not all that sunburned but needs a haircut, to send to Emma to prove that her report was fake news:

I've missed that cute boy.

Braeden and I each got a little mini frosty, Braeden got a big cup of ice water and Mark got:

I don't know.  I sat across from him two hours before this picture and he ate two sandwiches for lunch.

Braeden told us fond stories of the boys he is a counselor over.  It sounds like some of them are mischievous but it also sounds like Braeden is up to the challenge.  He said that he told some of them he was going to go see his mom.  They said, "We want to meet your mom!"

So he took a picture to show them. (I'm sure that really...thrilled them.)

Braeden tells Mark he needs to go to EFY and Mark looks at me like, "Here we go..."

We dropped Braeden off at Stover Hall so he could take a nap and Mark and I headed to Costco.  He gathered up samples and brought them to me while I shopped and then he carried in all the groceries when we got home which was no small feat.

I guess his multi-lunch policy has an upside.  The boy is strong.

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Here's what Braeden texted last night.

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I'm grateful for my girl.

This conversation happens at least daily.

Me:  What are you doing/what have you been doing/what are you doing tonight?

Emma:  My best

Every time.

Emma wrote a new song this week.  This time it is on the piano not the guitar.  It is haunting and lovely and just writing a song feels like something magical and beyond me.

We wrapped Mark's half birthday gifts (and Emma got clever with writing half of the word birthday):

While we were in a gift wrapping mood, we also wrapped some Father's Day gifts for Adam.  We had fun with Washi tape. (His initials are AND so we like to add a good ampersand.)

I showed Adam and he said, "Is Father's Day this week?"

I'm just early, OK?

This afternoon after I drive kids to youth conference as a substitute YM president (Adam), Emma and I are going to go to Oceans 8.

It's nice to have my girl.