Like a jigsaw puzzle

[Squiggy]

So now for the rest of the weekend.

I woke them up Saturday morning and had breakfast going already. Picked one of S5's favorite breakfasts and then headed to the free Home Depot program. W was completely absorbed in the program and was excited to participate. We went to a parade afterwards, and everyone had a great time. She sat next to me the whole time. We then took her car over to a friend that lives down the street from my mother, and I replaced a rotor and some brake pads while she played with S5 at my mother's. My aunt told me she had asked W in passing what the weekend meant, and W told her that S5 needs his family together. My aunt was upset by this and informed me. I tried to tell her that it is a starting point. After I finished the work on her car, she gave me a massive hug of appreciation (acts of service is a LL for her) and informed me we will be having a cookout at my mother's for the 4th. She then got the idea to wash my car and did so with S5. I ended up taking the initiative to turn it into something we did as a family.

She was slightly quiet and distancing from my family, but I understand it was awkward. I checked in with her a few times to see how she was doing, and she said she was fine.

Later we left to go to a festival and then fireworks. W took photos of us as a family and sat near me throughout. We came home and put S5 to bed, and then she came down and watched a movie with me. She laid down on the couch and put her legs up on mine while watching. She went up to go sleep when S5 woke up and was calling for her.

Sunday we woke up, and I cooked a breakfast she asked for. We then packed a lunch and went to the zoo. They took a family photo, and she really liked it.It was hot outside and she bought frozen lemonade for her and I (that LL again, huh?). We had lunch outside on a picnic table, and she talked about the jobs she has applied to here need to call her this week.

When we got home we finished the movie (Inside Out...yep, she cried too), and then hung out for a while. She stayed much later than I thought she would and really seemed like she didn't want to leave. I had to run inside to try and find something S5 was missing to take back, and she met me in the yard and wrapped me up in a very tight, tender hug. I asked her what was wrong, and she said that I know what it is. I hugged S5 and then went to her window and told her to be safe and let me know when she arrives. She still looked sad to be leaving. Later she sent me a text and told me they made it back and the brakes are fine.

Best part of the whole weekend was that I showed her it only cost a little bit of gas and about $10 to make a great weekend, since finances were one of our major problems. I believe she is going to try and come back down next weekend.

Oh, and she left shampoo, soap, and stuff in the shower...Mean something?

I'm going to recap goals, observations, and such in the next post.