Times Have Changed...

So, as I sit here typing, still dripping with sweat from the gym, C lies next to me on the couch, snoozing. Apparently late nights are no longer his forte'. Now I think all of you know that while plodding through both his undergrad and law school (GO CARDS!!), C played guitar in various bar bands for a living. This meant many, many, MANY late nights for both of us. How we lived and managed to function on the ever present lack of sleep I am not quite sure. Suffice to say, we didn't find the newborn and infancy stages of both of our daughters to be all that intolerable. That time was like a sleep study compared to the music days.... Now we wouldn't trade those old days for the world. Even my beloved Dad came out at 1AM for a showcase once. I am pretty sure he had not been up that late since he waited for me to meet curfew... Besides how many other military kids have pics of their Dad in leather pants and eyeliner, and no jack-o-lanterns in sight?

So skip to last night when C got to go up the coast to meet Mark for the Toby Keith show. A big shout out to Mark who is the only one of our oldest friends who is still working, successfully I might add, in the music business. He is the only one who actually made it to life on a real tour bus. For those in the know, Jay W's ice cream truck doesn't count as a tour bus. So Mark is on the road with Toby Keith and a nice "little" guy named PorkChop. I had to laugh when C came home and described the show... You all know country is not his most favored genre, kind of like me with opera, nails on a chalkboard, you get the picture.

Anyway, here was the summary...

Tour buses really are cool. Everyone should have a plasma TV in their bunk.

Miranda Lambert is not too hard on the eyes.

Toby Keith is huge. "His arms look bigger than my legs."

Pyrotechnics are still cool! Except now your buddy warns you when to cover your ears, because you know those things are REALLY loud.

That's right my husband, who never met an amp he didn't love, was describing to me how Mark told him when to cover his ears.. I had to laugh, out loud, and long. Here I am virtually deaf from all of my years in front of the mains (those are the big speakers for you non-bar band lovers) Did you really think I talk so loudly just for the attention?

So now we are back to the present, still snoozing. When I came in the door and saw him on the couch, and L streaking sans diaper through the room, I asked him what was wrong. He could barely muster up the strength to tell me how tired he was. I asked him why? His answer, "what time did I go to bed?". My answer, "the same time I did.." Of course I have now fed, dressed and taken a child to school, spent 45 minutes and 500 calories on an elliptical machine, and now held an audience of perhaps 3 enthralled with my latest musings. In all seriousness, though, times have certainly changed. I know firsthand how hard he worked in those days. I have to tell you though, the effort he puts into what he does now really does make those times look easy.

I guess since it's my blog I can brag when I want to... If every student here is as hellbent on saving the world as C is, then we really are in very good company. When he came back last night, I kept thinking how close we came to music being his livelihood. I know he would have made it a great life for us. I do believe though, that although music is his first love and ongoing passion, we are ALL lucky that he ended up here.

As we head into the Labor Day weekend, and draw near 9/11, I hope you all fly your flags with pride. I am proud to be married to one who serves.

Of course any pics of him actually doing his job would not pass our censors... So we will check out a CARDINAL fan in the wilds of OK.