Then it hit me. I realized that my entire life was twanging it's way back to me via steel guitar strings and heavy southern drawl. Suddenly, blaring at me from my temperamental, off pitch, and often out of balance speakers, I was dope slapped by my reality.
So here goes. This is my musical montage of my life. Sit back, roll down the car windows, and feel free to sing along off key...
The Early Years:
"Inflatable pool full of dad’s hot air
I was three years old
Splashin’ everywhere
And so began my love affair
With water....
On a river bank
With all my friends
A big old rope tied to a limb
And your a big old wuss
If you don’t jump in
The water" -Brad Paisley
Then I got older:
"This is for all you girls about 13,
High school an be so rough, can be so mean,
Hold on to, on to your innocence,
Stand your ground, when everyone is giving in...
This is for all you girls about 25,
living in a little apartment just trying to get by,
livin on dreams, dreams and Spaghetti-os,
wondering where your life is gonna go...." - Martina McBride
At 20-ish I got married to this:
"I wasn't born for diggin deep holes,
I'm not made for pavin long roads,
I aint cut out to climb high line poles,....
I'm not the type to work in a bank,
I'm no good at slappin on paint,
Don't have a knack for makin motors crank, no....
But I'm Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer." - Billy Currington
And, became a mother:
"I can remember when, you fit in the palm of my hand,
Fit so perfect in it, no bigger than a minute.
Now it amazes me, your changing with every blink,
Faster than a flower blooms, you grow up way too soon..." -Lonestar
"Ive been watchin' you, Dad ain't that cool,
I'm your Buckaroo, I want to be like you,
and eat all my food and grow as tall as you are,
We got cowboy boots, and camo pants,
Yeah, we're just alike, hey, ain't we Dad?
I want to do everything that you do,
So, I've been watching you...." -Rodney Atkins
So, after 8 years of marriage came this:
"I guess I'll keep on living,
even if this love's to die for,
'cause your bags are packed,
And I'm not crying,
You're walking out,
But I'm not trying,
to change your mind,
Because I was born to be...
A single mom, who works too hard,
who loves her kids, and never stops,
with gentle hands, and the heart of a fighter..." - Reba McIntyre
Eventually I was brave enough to try the dating scene:
"We got winners, we got losers,
Chain smokers and boozers,
And we got yuppies, we got bikers,
we got thirsty hitchhikers,
we got cowboys, we got truckers,
Broken hearted fools, and suckers,
And we got hustlers, we got fighters,
Early birders, and all-nighters...." -Toby Keith
"She'll start by kicking off her shoes,
lose an earring in her drink,
Leave her jacket in the bathroom stall,
lose her contact down the sink,
Them panty hose ain't gonna last too long,
if the DJ puts Bon Jovi on,
She might come home in a table cloth,
Yeah, tequila makes her clothes fall off..." -Joe Nichols
I quickly realized the bar scene wasn't my thing, and finally met and fell in love with, a cross between this:
"Walks in the rain, and talks in the dark,
Old black and white movies, a day at the park,
On a blanket on the ground, Sunday afternoon
Hangin' with friends, or all by ourselves,
driving' around, yard sale to yard sale
Droppin' by the county fair, winnin' you a bear, poppin' balloons..." -Billy Currington
And This:
"I love sleepin' in on Saturdays,
and I love Red Sox baseball games,
I love not acting my age, and a good barbecue....
Yeah, I'm a fan of all the books,
And anythin' (this) mama cooks....
Man I love how (Jerky) tastes,
And Damn I love my Nascar race...." -Eric Church
And my life's become this:
"Football, soccer, and ballet,
squeeze in Scouts and PTA, and there's
that shopping list she's left that's 7 pages long...
How much smoke can one stove make? The kids won't eat my charcoal cake,
It's more than any man can take...
Balancing checkbooks, juggling bills, though there's nothing to it,
Been crazy all day long, and it's only Monday, (Misses) Mom...." -Lonestar
These became our house rules:
"Be a best friend, tell the truth,
over-use "I Love You."
Go to work, do your best,
don't out smart your common sense.
Always treat your woman like a lady,
never get too old to call her baby.
never let your prayin' knees get lazy,
and love like crazy..." - Lee Brice
And, to get through it everyday I tell myself:
"You're gonna miss this,
you're gonna want this back,
you're gonna wish these days,
hadn't gone by so fast,
these are some good times,
so take a good look around,
you may not know it now,
but you're gonna miss this." -Trace Atkins
"and I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I've been denying... and hope I get the chance, to live like I was dying"- Tim Mcgraw
*(lyrics) have been changed only to reflect my life, and in no way are meant to discredit the authors*
