Little Moments

Sometimes you look at your kids and marvel at who they are becoming. Last night we were joining friends for dinner, and their daughter, fourteen-year-old Justine, volunteered to watch the boys. I don't know whether it was the thought of Justine or just the break in routine, but suddenly all three boys eagerly picked out their clothes and got dressed quickly and without complaint. They emerged in three attractive Hawaiian shirt and shorts ensembles and began combing their hair and looking for sunglasses. Andrew even asked whether he could borrow one of my ties, but settled for my straw hat. They seemed like three eager young men getting ready for a big night out.

Later, driving home knowing that we'd kept them up well past their bedtime for the second night in a row, Kathy popped in one of their favorite CD's, "Mud on the Tires" by Brad Paisley.

I don't know when my Irish wife converted my boys into three little Country Western fans, but suddenly they were warbling along gleefully. Justin especially, with an accent he picked up from who-knows-where, happily joined the chorus, singing:

'Cause it's a good night
To be out there soakin' up the moonlight
Stake out a little piece of shoreline
I've got the perfect place in mind
It's in the middle of nowhere only way to get there
You got to get a little mud on the tires

Andrew soon dozed off in an exhausted heap and Kevin waited patiently for his favorite track. It was late and we were all tired and aware that we needed to get up early for a Saturday morning swim meet, but the dark back roads and the sound of Justin's happy voice accompanying Brad Paisley's combined into one of those precious moments that you cannot script and do not want to forget.

I confess that I find the lyrics of Paisley's hit single, "Little Moments," to be condescending and sexist, but like the many others who made the song a hit I find myself nodding in agreement with the refrain, "Yeah I live for little moments like that."