Bars

No folks, not the one where everybody knows your name (not in this post anyway), those bars that seem to block certain areas of your life. Come on, we all have them. Maybe it's emotional bars we are putting up ourselves, maybe financial bars, maybe communication bars. Seems like I have had several of these just flat out sawed down this past week and witnessed several for myself and I'm just now able to take a breath to take it all in and talk about just a few of them.

Bobby and I went baby free on Thursday to head to the Jimmy Buffett concert (I would have pictures to show, but I left my camera in the hotel room!!). I was so stressed out before leaving trying to get everything together, working late, cleaning up, etc. I don't think it was until we were outside the gates that I really let go and started to enjoy myself. We had 4th row, center stage tickets and it was probably the best show I have ever seen. Best of all, one of the first songs he played was "It's 5 o'clock somewhere", which was one of my dad's favorites. I cannot describe it exactly, but bars lifted. I cried for the first time in public over him. While everyone else was screaming and dancing, I was crying and it felt so good. It was the trip, the concert he always wanted to go to. It was tears of joy, like I completed something for him and for myself.

Financial bars were lifted for my very dear friend Meredith this weekend for her yard sale fundraiser for her adoption (to any of you reading that participated in any way, we cannot thank you enough!) What a wonderful thing that in this financial day people from all walks of life can come together and help a family give a new life and opportunity to a child that truly needs it.

Last night, I had the great pleasure of having dinner with a friend that unfortunately I don't get to spend as much time with as I would like. We literally shut the restaurant down! I think we both needed that release, just to sit and talk with someone about being a mom, work, what we wanted out of life and where we wanted to go. We talked about our childhood and the childhood we wanted for our kids, situations we had been in and the ones we are in now. We talked about parents and alcoholism and the horrible effects it can leave in a family and what a shame it all can be. Bobby was nice enough to watch the girls while I had some girl time of my own, and for that I am grateful. I think we both walked out of that restaurant a little bit clearer, I know I am.