Sounds like life to me...
Sounds like life to me, ain't no destiny
Yeah, the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight, just enjoy the ride
Get used to all this unpredictability, sounds like life
Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you're caught up in some tragedy
Sounds like life to me (sounds like life to me)
Sometimes when I write in the blog, I have a topic in mind and find a song to go along with it. Other times, I hear a song and it just such a perfect snapshot of my life at that moment that I just go with it. This (Sounds Like Life by Daryl Worley) is one of those songs.
A few months after Jay was born, when both Derek and I were trying to get into the routine of work/school/daycare/fix dinner/pack bottles & lunches/repeat, he got a little overloaded. In what we now both refer to as the "suck it up" speech, I apparently told him that this is your life now and you better come to grips with the fact that the time you used to spend lounging on the couch watching My Name is Earl is now taken up with time lounging on the floor and playing with Jay. And if you do get any free time, those dishes aren't washing themselves, thank you very much. I have no recollection of this conversation (remember, I was in a sleep-deprived coma for many months).
Then, a bit later, I had the same "I can't take it anymore!" kind of overwhelmed feeling. We were driving back from a trip, and I had a mini-breakdown in the car. I told Derek that we could never go out of town again because it's just too hard to pack the gazilion things that we have to bring JUST IN CASE and then come home to a house that's a wreck and not have had any time to prepare for the week ahead. And he ever-so-gently reminded me of the suck it up speech I had given him.
We even had to give the "suck it up" speech to some friends of ours. New Mom Friend was missing out on the fun of what she could do with her cutie pie in favor of what she "ought" to do. She had that overwhelmed look, and we could tell it took everything she had to get it together enough to come to church that morning. Derek (ever so gently!) told her about our suck it up speech ... and I think it helped. She's mentioned since that she's thought back to that conversation and been grateful for the reality check.
When everyone said "Parenthood will change your life" I imagined all the cutesy, snuggly ways my life would change. I even prepared for the sleepless nights and dirty diapers. Spit-up stains on my shirt? Bring 'em on. I guess I just wasn't prepared for the not-so-good ways that parenting would change my life. Namely, I wasn't ready for the fact that I will never again in my life feel like I'm organized and "together." So, back to the song. I heard it this morning in the shower, and I had to laugh. Someone finally wrote the suck it up speech into song.
This is our life. And we absolutely wouldn't trade the chaos for even one moment of peace and quiet.
Posted at 09:26PM Apr 02, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[2]
TOJ, I love you...even though you don't feel organized and "together!" You're a kick butt Mommy!
Posted by TOOJ on April 06, 2009 at 06:29 AM EDT #
I have passed this now infamous speech onto others. Way to go guys. I hope everyone is feeling better, including the grandparents!
Have a wonderful Easter we love you all!
Posted by robin Perry on April 07, 2009 at 10:29 PM EDT #
