The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is one of my most favorite things ever. It brings back fond memories of when we were in college and lived a carefree sort of new grown up life. It brings me back to when minimum wage was enough, and our whole lives were ahead of us. The last time we went in college, we sat near an "older" couple. Thinking back, they were probably about my age now at that time. She was in a lawn chair, and he was sitting on the ground and had his head resting in her lap. I remember thinking how sweet they were, and naturally I took a photo. I don't know why they stood out in the crowd of 20-somethings who were dancing, eating, laughing, and having a good time.
But they just seemed settled, content with where they were.
I have no idea who they were, I didn't even talk to them, but they seemed like a glimpse into my future, and I knew that's where I wanted to be. Just sitting in a lawn chair on a hot spring New Orleans Day, listening to music and soaking in the atmosphere. Little did I know that it would be our last trip down there for a very long time.
In the meantime, we graduated college, got married, turned out a few AMAZING children (I'm partial, of course), and kindof lost our way. We treaded water, just like everyone else - how does it go, Mama? Be like a duck - calm on the surface, but paddling like crazy underneath? Yeah, that's me.
Fast forward to two years ago, the kids are all in school, and it's nuts at my house. All of the time. My favorite band was going to Jazz Fest, so my sweet parents agreed to watch the kids, and the hubs and I took off.
We kissed the kids good-bye, & drove through an incredible lightning storm - I was terrified the whole time. But we got there, and Jazz Fest was everything I remembered and more. I've always loved New Orleans, the people, the atmosphere, the food - GOD the food (that's probably one of my most favorite parts of Jazz Fest - just sampling whatever you can in a few short hours - yum.), and just being alone with the hubs for a weekend of uninterrupted conversations (What? That still exists?!). There he was, good ol' Zac. The one I remembered. Carefree, in our old grown up life, just like he used to be. But way better.
So the good folks at the Jazz Fest make the artist announcement soon. I can't wait to see who is going. Whether we can go is still up in the air, but maybe my favorite band will be there. I've really got my fingers crossed, my hopes that my parents can watch the kids, and that the ones I want to see won't be on my son's birthday. Parents for life. ;)
And maybe some starry-eyed new grown up will see us there, settled in who we are.
We're far from perfect. But we work on it every day. We've still got a lot of growing up to do. We've still got a lot of questions that are unanswered for us. And that's ok. I think I'm finally content with where I am. And I have a great little lawn chair all ready to go.
But they just seemed settled, content with where they were.
I have no idea who they were, I didn't even talk to them, but they seemed like a glimpse into my future, and I knew that's where I wanted to be. Just sitting in a lawn chair on a hot spring New Orleans Day, listening to music and soaking in the atmosphere. Little did I know that it would be our last trip down there for a very long time.
In the meantime, we graduated college, got married, turned out a few AMAZING children (I'm partial, of course), and kindof lost our way. We treaded water, just like everyone else - how does it go, Mama? Be like a duck - calm on the surface, but paddling like crazy underneath? Yeah, that's me.
Fast forward to two years ago, the kids are all in school, and it's nuts at my house. All of the time. My favorite band was going to Jazz Fest, so my sweet parents agreed to watch the kids, and the hubs and I took off.
We kissed the kids good-bye, & drove through an incredible lightning storm - I was terrified the whole time. But we got there, and Jazz Fest was everything I remembered and more. I've always loved New Orleans, the people, the atmosphere, the food - GOD the food (that's probably one of my most favorite parts of Jazz Fest - just sampling whatever you can in a few short hours - yum.), and just being alone with the hubs for a weekend of uninterrupted conversations (What? That still exists?!). There he was, good ol' Zac. The one I remembered. Carefree, in our old grown up life, just like he used to be. But way better.
So the good folks at the Jazz Fest make the artist announcement soon. I can't wait to see who is going. Whether we can go is still up in the air, but maybe my favorite band will be there. I've really got my fingers crossed, my hopes that my parents can watch the kids, and that the ones I want to see won't be on my son's birthday. Parents for life. ;)
And maybe some starry-eyed new grown up will see us there, settled in who we are.
We're far from perfect. But we work on it every day. We've still got a lot of growing up to do. We've still got a lot of questions that are unanswered for us. And that's ok. I think I'm finally content with where I am. And I have a great little lawn chair all ready to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment