Crazy For Her…

Madi just returned home from her Aunt and Uncles’ house.  She spent a week visiting her two adorable cousins; kira and Maya.  I think the week went pretty well from what I have heard but there is still a lot of fighting between them.  I like to believe that it is their age.  Only separated by 6 months, there is going to be some arguing.  She had a lot of stories to tell me about dressing up, going swimming, visiting the zoo and riding bikes.  Chris went to get her on Friday and they ended the week with a float trip.  Madi loved it but I think she was ready to come home to Mom.  It makes me happy that she is able to spend time away from her parents, miss us but still allow herself to have a good time.  I was worried about that the most.  Oh and also the fighting.  I didn’t want Taisia to lose her mind with the addition of my child in her household and hopefully she didn’t.  Taisia?  Are you still alive?

She arrived in town late Saturday night and I got the early phone call on Sunday at 8:00 am.  “Momma, are you awake?  I am ready to come home.”  So I rolled out of bed and met my ball of energy on the front porch.  She was talking a mile a minute about 50 different things that she did in the past week.  When her Dad left she crawled in my lap on the front porch and gave me the biggest hug she has ever given me.  Having her back is good and I feel like I always do when she has been gone a few days; she has grown a lot.  She says new things and has new stories to tell. I love having her home because it never feels right without her.

I thought a lot (probably too much) about the possibility that I may not have a new job in October.  I thought about this while she was gone because when she is home I barely have the time to think.  I may not be getting a job right away and I think that is going to be ok.  I will manage and I will have more time for Madi.  Something that I have wanted for a long time.  I have missed out on a lot of things and let others do them for me.  Like picking Madi up every day from school and being there to hear about her day.  I want that and I know Madi wants that.

I have also been thinking a lot about music and how Madi used to listen to it every night, all night when she was a baby.  And she rested.  Lately she hasn’t been sleeping all that great.  I can tell she is tired when she gets up and this will only get worse when school starts.  So this weekend I bought something she has been asking for.  An early birthday present.  I bought her an iPod of her own so that she can listen to music while she is going to sleep instead of watching a movie.  Last night was the first night and boy could I tell a difference.  Maybe it was being home and comfy or maybe it was the iPod.  All I know is I woke up to find her in my bed, bright eyed, ear phones on and dancing around the bed to her favorite music.  This made me smile and right now I am smiling as I type this.

I hope that this makes her feel safe when she is drifting off to sleep.  I also hope this puts a lot of dust on the TV because she stops asking to watch it.  I would much rather hear music blaring from her room instead of some Disney movie with very little meaning.  She told me last night that she has been writing songs and I can’t wait until she learns to write.  Because the songs she has in her head are beautiful and funny, just like her.  So now I feel like I am more plugged in as a parent and Madi feels more plugged into music.  That’s not a bad thing, right?

This is an all-in-one post because so much has been going on.  I wanted to post something because it has been so long since I have updated this site.  So here are some new things to get you all caught up on the happenings in our lives:

• There is a new guy in my life (His name is Ryen – more on that later…)
• Madi got a new dog – her name is Chloe Bear and she is a Great Pyrenees
• My Dad is sick and has been in the hospital for 2 weeks
• We cooked our first turkey for Easter
• Taylor went to his first Prom and dressed like a total nerd
• Madi attended her first “Real” concert and got to see Ryen play and also went on stage with him (highlight of her night)

For those of you who know my Dad – He is holding his own and doing better than we could have ever hoped for.  He is getting stronger every day and we are all holding hope that he will make a full recovery.  I have spent the last two weeks second guessing everything I have said or not said to him.  I now know that none of that matters – he is with us now and I am taking every opportunity to tell him all those things, that for over 48 hours, I never thought I would have the chance to say again.

I know that you have all heard this at some point in your life – Don’t take things for granted, tell the people in your life that you love them, spend time with the ones you love – quality time.  We truly do not know how long we have on this earth and the last thing you want is to be standing next to a hospital bed wishing you had said something or done something differently.  It is a hopeless and lonely feeling, one that can be prevented by slowing down and enjoying the friends and family around you.

Check out the Flickr badge on the right for the newest pictures of the family.  Love to you all!

I traveled to St. Louis last week for a short business trip with two of my co-workers. I didn’t have to drive this time and it was a laid back work environment so all in all it was a good experience. During my first travels to St. Louis I spent 6 weeks there by myself not knowing a single person. It was a hard time for me that 6 weeks, being away from home for such a long time was not something I was used to. I stayed at the same hotel for that six weeks and I became fast friends with one of the employees there. Susan introduced me to the sites and sounds of her hometown. She is a Blues fanatic and has traveled the country to see some of her favorites. She is an amazing person and she is someone that I am certain will be a life long friend.
As soon as I found out I was going to St. Louis I emailed her and told her when I would be arriving. She emailed me back within the hour with a plan for a night out on the town. She picked me up at my hotel my second night in town and took me to Beale on Broadway. She had taken me there one other night in January, everything covered in snow and looking so different. This time it was a muggy summer night and the band played on a stage outside right next to the railroad tracks. It’s a great place and somehow makes me feel like I am so far away from home. The music is indescribable and the people are some of the nicest I have met. On this particular night I had the pleasure of meeting John Nemeth who has been playing blues since he was twelve years old. We got to the club early and of course Susan knows everyone and there were lots of introductions to be made. John Nemeth plays around the country and is constantly on tour. And he is a self proclaimed starving musician and doing what he loves almost every night in a different state. It was inspiring to listen to him speak about the love of his life – The Blues. I was able to get some short video footage throughout the night on my digital camera. I will try to share it here. It was a night that I will not forget. The music was wonderful and I have met so many wonderfully gifted people.
Susan and I have already started making plans for trips in late summer and fall. I am most excited that Susan is planning a road trip involving Madi. She insists that I introduce Madi to the Blues and she knows just the place to take her. I am letting her plan the whole thing, she will be driving and I think it will be a trip that Madi will never forget.

Click on the link below to watch the video!