You Lift Me Up and Always Will

Blog soundtrack:



I finally made it home at 6pm tonight from my road trip to CT; well, somewhere on the way home between Worcester and Marlboro, the car needed gas and so did I. So, I filled up the car and then visited a nearby mall in order to wake up, um, and shop!

Iz and I started out at 9:30 this morning. As we drove down Rt. 190, she said, “Mom, this isn’t the way to Nashua.”
I said, “No, it isn’t. We’re going to Connecticut.”
She said, “Ohhhhh, I thought you said we were going to Canada!”
I then understood why she asked me last night how long it took to get to Canada from our house.

On the way to CT, she had me play “American Baby” and “Follow That Car” over and over. Life has a soundtrack and so do all road trips! When she heard “American Baby,” she asked, “Mom, isn’t this song about me when I was little?” I used to play it a lot in the car when it first came out, and she used to love to sing along. She then asked, “Did he sing this to me?” I knew that Dave Matthews hadn’t played her bedroom instead of TD Banknorth Garden as of yet, so I said, “Yes, he sang it to you when he was on the radio!” She said, “I love this song!”

When she then heard “Follow That Car” by Any Trouble, she gasped and asked, “Mommy, how did someone get our song?” She was used to hearing it because of our video, “Follow That Corgi.” I told her that the song was on a CD first, and that we “borrowed” it for our video. She seemed satisfied with that explanation, and then she asked, “Mommy, when I come home from Grandma and Grandpa’s, can we make videos for Follow That Cat, Follow That Horse, and Follow That Santa Claus?” Um, I think we’re going to be busy.

I let Iz pick out some treats last night for her trip, one of which was “Laffy Taffy.” The thing I like about Laffy Taffy is that it is a candy; but, it’s candy that makes you burn off calories before you even get to eat it! How? Go to a store tomorrow, pick some up, and then unwrap a piece. Okay, I’ll tell you what will happen.

Like I did, err, while driving, you will spend about 10 minutes (and burn off about 15 calories) trying to unwrap just one piece. By the time you actually get to enjoy a piece of Laffy Taffy, you’re so tired that you don’t even have the energy to enjoy chewing on it! And, as it turns out, Iz hates the banana Laffy Taffy. And, I love the way she gives me something that she know she dislikes and acts like she’s giving me her blankie and her most prized Barbie doll – “Mom, here, you take this. It’s just for you.”

Lastly, when you look at your discolored nails, particularly if they are yellow like mine were, don’t think you have jaundice or something like that. Nah. It’s just the Laffy Taffy that got stuck under your fingernails while you spent that 10 minutes trying to unwrap it!

At 12:30, Iz was successfully deposited in the arms of her father and then on her way to see Grandma and Grandpa. She was happy, and so was I, well, for a few minutes anyway. I would be a liar if I said that we didn’t ever get on each other’s nerves. There are times when I certainly think that I need a minute when someone isn’t yelling “Mom!!!!!!” in my direction. And then the minute I’m alone, I think, “God, I miss them so much!

And tonight, I find myself home, totally alone, somewhat enjoying the sound of silence yet somewhat missing the calls of “Mom.” Parenthood. I think it really is the toughest job you’ll always love. ♥