Today was a good day....

Thanks to friends, today was a good day. The pictures that Tracy Marie Preston so graciously took, she brought to me on a CD and they far surpassed my expectations and were everything I was looking for. Thank you so much for that gift. She and her husband Scot picked Riley up and had him play with their son Brady. Riley talks about Brady so much, it's like he lives here. Kris Carter met me at the park and Chase and Colby (her sons), played with Parker. And Riley and Brady when they got there. Kris and I watched the boys and wondered how much of that sand was going back to the house with us. A couple of times, Park tried to convince me water was absolutely necessary to play in sand. But, I took a deep breath, used all the training I got in the army and have sharpened in the ER and said, "Of course, honey, but don't you think you'll be cold?" So much for inner steel, I think my boys have changed the term to "inner steal". I can practically see their little minds plotting who to have ask me what, to their collective benefit. Have I mentioned that I think I lost the war on parenting a long time ago? So everyone played, Kris and I talked, I know I cried. That's my new sport, and we walked around and discussed better living through pharmaceuticals. (at least for me) I mention this because I think I caught more than a few looks askance from the park going crowd with statements such as... "drugs help me cope.", and " I'm not kidding, drugs are the only reason some days that I can crawl out from under my covers." These remarks are, of course completely out of context. But, admit it, you would probably take your kids to play at the other end of the park away from the "druggie mom" if you heard these snippets. I would, then I would be texting my best friend, saying, "these people have too much money and time on their hands!" What must be going through their minds! I can only imagine...