Cowboy Take Me Away

Oil on board, 18x12, Oak floater frame
 
 
Babies don’t come with manuals.
 
We thought we knew what we were doing, like every new parent.
 
Fake it till you make it.
 
Exciting and terrifying at the same time.
 
I became THAT person that heavily relied on a schedule just to get through the day.  
 
When our second baby arrived, I was riddled with guilt.  How will I be able to split my attention between a newborn and a toddler?
 
Two months after the new baby, Emily, arrived, my husband decided it was time to trade in the old Ford Explorer and get his convertible – what?!
 
My first thought was, “it must be big enough to fit 2 car seats in the back”. My second thought was, “dear God, are we crazy?”
 
He proudly picked a champagne colored 2004 Chrysler Lebaron.  His dream car at that time.
 
We were quite a site at the dealership.  The 4 of us and our babysitter, Jenny.  We had so much fun trying out that new car.
 
Saturday mornings became “daddy time” for Mike and Allison (our oldest).
 
He couldn’t wait for her to wake up so they could get dressed and drive over to My Favorite Muffin for breakfast.
 
I waited all week for that one hour.  Just me and the baby.  It felt like I could exhale.
 
They would get buckled in and drive out of the garage.  Top down all the time.
 
The Dixie Chicks was in the CD player - it was Allison’s favorite.
 
“Daddy, play Cowboy Take Me Away”.  
 
When I hear this song, I still see them, heads bobbing, and mouths singing:
 
“Cowboy take me away 
Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh I pray
Closer to heaven above and closer to you”
 
When Emily got bigger, she got to be part of “daddy time”.
 
They would come home with a little bag of mini muffins.  That little white paper bag was crumpled at the top, and in one of the girl’s sticky hands.
 
“Mommy, we got you muffins”.
 
I would be so happy to see them come through the door.  All smiles and a little bit of chocolate milk on the corner of their mouths.
 
Mike had those girls.  He protected those precious babies.
 
Not just Saturday mornings, but every day of their lives. 
 
This song, that car, and those Saturday mornings were priceless.
 
 
Music reference: Cowboy take me away, The Chicks
Photo credit: @karl.ramsdell