It’s amazing how a song can take you on a journey – snap – just like that. Whether you’re driving, sitting in a restaurant, waiting inside an elevator, or staring at your Christmas tree – music has a way of instantly transforming our minds & bodies to another place – another time.
When we were in the states we drove to Kansas City to see our friends. Each of us took a turn picking out a DVD to play in the van. We often rent DVD’s at Red Box but we also have slew of DVD’s we’ve collected since the girls were little.
So when I looked through our old DVD collection – I had to smile when I saw we still had Hi-5! For Mikela’s 5th birthday we took the girls to see them in concert in Louisville, KY. My mom & Angel went with us. How is it that it’s probably been 6 years since the girls have watched that DVD but as soon as it came on I instantly knew all the words to their songs!?! LOL! My mind took me to a place before there were little boys in our world. A home that was ALL about Disney Princesses, Barbies, and baby dolls.
I have a crib that every single child in my home – starting with GIGI – has slept in. I remember coming home after a long day in the clinic – when we were living in St. Louis du Nord. I walked into the girls’ pink & white princess room. Malaya couldn’t walk yet but she was sitting on the floor clapping her hands. Gigi was bouncing in that crib like Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh” while Rosie & Mikela were dancing to Hi-5!
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When it was my turn to pick a DVD again – I smiled when I saw we still had the Wiggles Christmas DVD! My nephew DJ was consumed with the Wiggles. He took a blue, red, yellow, & purple crayon everywhere he went. They were the Wiggles to him. It makes me feel SO OLD but those memories are priceless.
My girls were still pretty little but they too loved the Wiggles. My mom, my sister, DJ, Jose, & all my little girls went to see the Wiggles in Concert in Columbus, OH. As the girls grew out of their “Wiggles Phase” the boys entered into it. I STILL love watching their Christmas DVD. I know all the words to it too. My favorite it Henry The Champion Christmas Wrapper! He’s an octopus so just imagine with 8 arms how quickly he can get the job done! I always wished I could be as fast and do as good of a job as good ole’ Henry!
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Memory Lane continued when I saw we still had the Doodlebops! They were on the Disney Channel too. In fact when we went to Disney World – we were able to sit first row for their concert. Angel was with us again. Angel and the girls – including Gigi – were all dressed with pink hair & the purple costume. I wish I could find their pictures.
MY GIRLS WERE ON A DOODLEBOPS COMMERCIAL! The Disney Channel was there filming commercials for the Doodlebops and our girls got interviewed! Of course they did – they were such little cuties!
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Those are just a few of the wonderful memories that took me to another time & place – as I read through my blog below.
So today I’m SO thankful for music. For the way it allows us to express ourselves. For the way it can brighten up a cloudy day. For the way it can bring forth so many emotions – both happy & sad. For the way it paints my memories – some of the happiest days I can remember.
SO Thankful…Day 28
We left NYC Saturday at 2:30pm and pulled into my parent’s house in KY around 4:30am. It was a LONG but smooth drive! We had to make several stops along the way – but that’s to be expected with our party of 9!
Around midnight the kids had all fallen asleep. So finally I could shut off the DVDS and play the radio. I rarely get to listen to what I want so I was excited! As I drove through the night the radio signals would disappear and I would have to switch stations frequently. I don’t like to spend a lot of time fooling with the radio while I drive – – too much precious cargo in the back. So I often just click seek and listen to whatever comes on.
Throughout those last 4.5 hours I listened to a variety of music! Have you ever listened to a song and it immediately reminded you of something? I traveled back in time during those short hours as my mind drifted to those wonderful memories!
I found myself on a country station at first. Garth Brooks – The Thunder Rollsbegan to play. My mind drifted back to the 6th grade. My brother Bud took me to my first country concert and we had great seats up close! It was the first time we had ever done anything together like that. I remember my brother dressing like a cowboy (which he still does now) and standing in line with him to get Garth’s autograph. I had totally forgotten about that until the song came on.
I flipped to another station and caught the beginning of When You Say Nothing At All. I hadn’t heard that song in a few years. When Jose and I got married 11 years ago – we made a video with pictures from our childhood and then of us together. That was the song we put the pictures too. Wow – I totally relived our video. I could remember the pictures and I remembered when it played at our Wedding. I spent a few moments thinking about that wonderful day in Haiti! You know I was still decorating the courtyard with candles just 2 hours before the ceremony started!
I then found myself on You’ve Made This A Christmas To Remember – Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers. Now that my folks is the Owen Family all time favorite Christmas album! We played it as we decorated our house each year. We played it on our tape player when we traveled at Christmas time. We played it in our house while we played cards or stared at the tree. My mind drifted to all of our holiday traditions.
The next memory came when Bust A Move began to blare through the radio! I immediately went back to high school. I was a freshman when Janeil was a senior. Janeil had a van that looked just like the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo – – except it was brown and rusty! We called it the Hoopty! The Hoopty wasn’t much to look at but it had an amazing speaker system in it (until it got stolen). Anyways – Janeil and I rode to school every day together and that was “his” song. I heard it on the way to school. I heard it on the hour drive to New Albany, IN every weekend!
That song made me think about Janeil in high school. He was HILARIOUS! He was part of the school’s media class. We had TV every week in school from the media class. He was always giving the craziest reports – breakdancing in the hall – doing funny skits – and constantly making jokes. I was always so proud that he was MY brother! The guy that everyone liked and made everyone laugh!
Not sure if you know this or not but two of the members from the Backstreet Boys are my cousins! Yes – I’m serious! On this same radio station I heard – I Want It That Way! Now that took me to my family reunions! Before they were famous – Brian and Kevin often sang a Christian or Patriotic song at the reunions. Now my family (brothers/sister) were always skeptical about whether or not they could make it in the big time. Imagine our surprise when we heard them on the radio a few years later! That song brought me back to those precious reunions when everyone made time to get together at the park! It made me remember all our extended family members who have now gone to be with Jesus! I miss you granny!!
As we began to pull into the drive I found myself on a country gospel station. Don’t ask me how that happened! But I heard the song Master Builder and I began to cry. When we were little Lori, Bud, Janeil, & myself would sing everywhere my parents spoke. We sang on the back of wagons in large parking lots and on just about every church stage available. The four of us would fight to get the solos! My mom would divide up the verses so each of us got a chance to showcase our talents! We were such hams!! LOL! It was probably one of the happiest times of my childhood. I loved traveling with theentire family. I forgot how much I enjoyed singing with them! We’re all grown-up now and we’ve got our own families now. But I will NEVER forget those times and all the memories my parents created for us.
So today I am thankful for music!
For taking us to special places & triggering beautiful memories!
