Grateful Wed and a new kid in town

Grateful Wed. Join me in being grateful for the little things today. I am grateful for countless things, but here are a few of the little things:
1. diet Coke (including diet Coke with lime and reluctantly, Coke Zero)
2. ice
3. Oprah radio (especially the Maya Angelou show--LOVE her)
4. CARPOOL! (and friends who help out in all ways)
5. Edline. Don't you love it?
6. writing time with second graders--I LOVE being at White Oak School on Wednesday mornings. Those 2nd graders are so stinking cute and such precious writers.
7. a new kid in town...there's just something about it...

In regards to #7, we have a new kid in town. And let me tell you, it has been all the buzz. Our new kid is the thing we LEAST need in eastern North Carolina--another fast food restaurant, but I can tell you, the kids are so excited. They came home on Monday all abuzz. "It's open! It's open!" they cried citing example after example to PROVE that the new Wendy's was indeed open. They begged to go for dinner Monday night. (and let me say, dinner and fast food do NOT go in the same sentence--sorry--but I want a longer lifespan than that) We refused, of course, but promised to take them sometime soon because, after all, it's new and exciting.

Well throughout dinner, they wore us down. My husband announced that if they cleaned up the kitchen super-quick, he would take us all to Wendy's for a frosty. So the kitchen grew immaculate in no time at all, we piled into the car, and off to Wendy's we went.

Now let me remind you here, because I have a lot of readers from all over, and you need to understand the context of this story. We live in a TINY town. A new anything is a big deal. Especially to the kids. Like the time we all went after dinner to walk around the new Advance Auto Parts...but I digress.

We turned into the WEndy's parking lot, and we could hardly enter. The place was packed. ABout twelve cars filled the drive-thru line, the parking lot was completely full, and you could see through the windows that the restaurant (and I use this term loosely) was completely full. Long lines snaked in front of the registers. The kids Oohed and AAhed at the interior of the building. "I feel like we're in another city," one of the boys said.
"It looks like the other Wendy's," my daughter said, "Only cleaner."
"Give it time," my other daughter said.
"This is ridiculous," my husband pronounced after a mere five minutes in the drive-thru line. The line was so long, that nearly every car had its window down with people from the parking lot leaning in and socializing. The Wendy's parking lot was DEFINITELY the place to be. "We're leaving," my husband said although he didn't move the car.
"We can't," the kids all insisted.
"Yeah, we're a part of history," another kid said.
At this point, Chris and I were completely punchy. I mean, it was hilarious. Half the town was waiting in line and just hanging out to pay perfectly good money for food that was practically toxic. They were smiling and laughing and having a great time. So we just had to give in to it. We rolled down our windows and joined the giant welcoming party for Wendy's.
Thirty minutes later with a car full of Frosty shakes, we drove home blasting someone's favorite song and rejoicing in the simple pleasures of life. A new kid in town. In Edenton. Where we hardly EVER have new kids. I think we gave her a proper welcome.