Grateful Friday

We got to meet Anna's mom this week.  I loved it!  She came to dinner Tuesday night with Anna and Natalie.  Since Adam and Braeden were both in Arizona, business trip and EFY respectively (I guess they were both job related), Mark was the only male represented.  It stands to reason since Anna feels like such a perfect fit for our family, but I get the feeling if we were neighbors with her parents, we'd be the best of friends.  We have a lot in common starting with both living in the same apartment building in Provo--actually the same APARTMENT, to having our second children while living in Connecticut, to having a redhead son as the youngest in each family of three kids.  We also made homemade wipes (that we learned how to make at the same homemaking meeting in our Provo ward) and had the same model of exersaucer that Braeden and Anna bounced in.  (Anna noticed in pictures.) We had a lovely evening visiting.  Braeden is marrying into a great family.

**

*

Emma started her job this week at Western Governor's University.  She is working as a summer intern and is grateful to be earning the money she needs for her semester in France.  Also she said everyone is super nice.  Who can argue with that?

**

*

Speaking of Emma, I'm grateful for her art prowess.  I'm working on my curriculum and want to feature artists and she helps me decide on which artists and categorize them and she knows way more than I do.

**

*

Adam is home from Phoenix!  I wasn't sure he was going to return.  He sweet talked his way into a pass at a baseball game that gave him access to anywhere in the stadium and I don't think he wanted to leave.  Also there was a Portillo's at the stadium.  Why would anyone want to go anywhere besides Portillo's?

**

*

I am loving my summer with Mark.  It has its bumps and rough spots as we adjust to the new normal and all, but he's plain enjoyable.

We were folding laundry side by side and I was quizzing him about a girl whose birthday party he was invited to.  I was trying to discover his interest in the girl.

He admitted he like would to take her on a date but that he didn't have a crush on her.

I said, "So she isn't your main squeeze?"

He said, "People talk about a main squeeze.  No one talks about a side squeeze."

I said, "So is she your side squeeze?"

"I prefer to think of it as an auxiliary squeeze."

**

*

Sometimes the pressure of all the things I have to do weighs me down (and makes me freak out.)  Mark was helping me straighten up the house and do the dishes.  He was in one of those rare moods our kids get in occasionally where they keep asking, "What do you want me to do now?"

I try to take full advantage of those times!

I said, "Thanks for helping me.  I feel less stressed."

He said, "That's good.  Because when you're less stressed I don't get into trouble as easily."

Like I would ever take out my stress on my kids by being cranky....

**

*

I'm grateful for learning what I don't have time for.

I puzzled way too long over napkin choices for the wedding reception.  I decided I had never had any impression favorable or otherwise about napkins at any wedding I'd ever been at and I just ordered some already.  (I was telling my parents about this and my dad said I didn't think about napkins because I don't have a mustache.  He is not wrong.)

I unfollowed someone on Facebook who said something that 1) offended me and 2) was not true.  I thought for 20 seconds that I should respond with righteous indignation but I decided I don't have time for even worrying about it.  Just unfollow and move on.

I was changing sheets for houseguests and the fitted sheet was off white and the top sheet was white and this kind of stuff normally MATTERS to me, but I just shrugged.  I didn't have time to go hunt for the matching sheets.  The sheets were clean.  Good enough.

So in seasons of stress and busy-ness, it is freeing to let it go sometimes.

I am learning that.

**

*

Braeden is coming home tomorrow!  It will be nice to have that kid around!  (I mean, he will mostly be spending time with Anna but I will see him occasionally.)