music

Each summer at our big reunion we get a music CD. It’s not just any old CD. It’s a CD full of everyone in my family’s favorite songs. And I love it because we listen to it all year long, and it makes me think about those people I adore who live so far away every time their song comes on. My kids request songs according to the name of the Aunt or Uncle who chose them instead of by the particular musician or music group.

This year the kids got to pick songs too. They are quite enamored with their CDs.

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that I love good songs. There’s nothing like great music to change your mood. And it’s funny but there’s a particular one that Elle chose that changed my day today.

Claire should have been able to go to her first day of school today like this:She was SO excited for her big day. She’s going to “Pre K” with most of her best friends and thinks she’s about the luckiest soul alive. But, instead of having a grand first day, she woke up like this:
Yep, instead of me getting my annual great big, honker cold sore this summer it was poor Claire who took one for the team. And I feel for her because I know how bad they hurt. You’ve got to click on the picture to see the size of this thing. It’s humongo. And it’s actually turned into Impetigo. Which is bad news on the first day of school.

She woke up with a fever this morning.

So, we got the other kids off to school (more on that later…they were so darn excited), and headed to the doctor. Then we picked up antibiotics and decided we may as well try on the good old blood draw for Lucy too…may as well do a bunch of doctor stuff at the same time, right?

I was sitting there driving the car all stressed about trying this with Lucy again (it was horrible last time) and thinking about her neurologist appointment tomorrow and all the other doctors and therapists I need to touch bases with and how I’m losing faith so fast in doctors and then I got to thinking about all the other things I needed to be doing right at that moment…I’m a stress case since I got home. Among other things I have a book deadline with my mom and I’m leaving out of the country with Dave both in a week and half. It seems like I’m trying to fit too much into every day. My whole body was tense.

At that moment, Elle’s song came on, and I glanced in the rear view mirror at my two little girls back there. They were SO happy rocking out to Elle’s song. They were laughing with each other and at each other and all of a sudden it hit me that I needed to relax. Things will work out. I need to calm down a little about everything and just enjoy life a little more. My whole motto for the year of “Be Still” hit me and the fact that I haven’t been doing it lately.

After that the rest of the day was awesome. I felt my body just relax and be able to enjoy the moment with those sweet little girls. I let Claire wear her “first day of school outfit” and took her pictures even though she didn’t actually go (with the cold sore photo-shopped out).The shoes are her favorite part.
…And you can’t help but relax and smile when you’re around “good-mood Lucy.” (“Bad-mood Lucy” isn’t quite as fun.)So, thanks Elle, for changing my day with your music. I needed it!