So last night after a "romantic" dinner at Cracker Barrel, Stephean and I decided that we should pick a new song. So much has changed since we were dating and claimed "I Don't Know Much" as our tune (not to mention the fact that I really don't know the words to it so it must not really be "our song.") He suggested "Float On" by Modest Mouse: And we'll all float on alright, Already we'll all float on, Now don't you worry we'll all float on."
While some days it certainly would work, we agreed that Phil Vasser's "Just Another Day in Paradise" pretty much sums up our world! Seriously, its almost scary how closely the lyrics of the first verse align to a day in the Grimes household. Makes me wonder if someone was secretly spying ahead at our future when they wrote these words:
The kids screaming, phone ringing,
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it. I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things
Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise
Friday, you're late
Guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise
Well, plan B looks like
Dominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue
But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Can me and my teddy
Come in to sleep in between?
So the second verse is a stretch....I mean how can kids come walking in at night when they are already sleeping in between? And dinner date for us usually includes Domino's pizza in front of the tv or a restaurant with a crying baby and toddler who wont stay in her highchair. But, you get the picture.
Truth be told, there was a much calmer, romantic time in our lives when the bills didn't outweigh the paychecks, neither of us knew who Dora was, and the house didn't look like Toysrus blew up. When something tore up we called the landlord. When we wanted to go shopping, we just got in the car and went. Packing for weekend trips did't feel like we were packing up to move (though Stephean would beg to differ on that one.)
But those were also the times when an adorable little girl wasn't there to greet you at the door at the end of the day and then take off running because she wants you to chase her. A cute little boy wasn't there to wiggle as close to you as he can possibly get because you're the only thing in the world he cares about. "Rain Rain Go Away" didn't make you smile every time you hear it and a baby cooing didn't make you smile and tear up all at the same time. We are so very blessed with what we have!
So by the time we left Cracker Barrel, Stephean and I reached a conclusion: Sure, life was much simpler "back then", but we couldn't trade our "little paradise" for anything in the world. We could just "Float On" and realize one day that our life just floated right past us, or we could savor these moments - good and bad - and be thankful for everyone of them.
"And I ask the Lord every night for just another day in paradise."
