Lullabies Remembered: Mother - Son Dance

Sweetpea took this pic of Billy Joel at Concert at Shea Stadium

(When your baby marries the love of his life-Even God shed a few tears with me during the Nor'easter of 2018, yes I was in floods!)  

For my youngest's 16th birthday (aka Sweetpea, only by me), we got tickets for us to see Billy Joel's last concert at Shea. It was the very first concert he had ever been to. And being die hard Long Islanders (South Shore Suffolk and Proud of it!) this was just the perfect gift- all agreed.

 It was such a fantastic night! We had an amazing time! The weather was perfect and all of us were just thrilled with how awesome this concert was. So many guest appearences and so many great familar songs. We were all so truly happy.

Fast forward ten years and my baby is getting married!! Yes, married! How did that happen? When did he grow up? I cannot even begin to put into words how I was feeling as the day drew closer. I was so truly happy for him but just so emotional. (Such a mom as he would say. And yes, that is true.)

We talked about what song we would dance to and struggled with what meant something to both of us. He told me I was stressing and that "all would be fine". (Of course he was right but who do you know that actually stops stressing when someone tells them to?) In true Sweetpea fashion he suggested I watch the latest Adam Sandler/ Chris Rock Movie "The Week Of" for a good laugh on what was NOT going to be happening the week of HIS wedding. 

I laughed, I cried and I found our song... He totally agreed!
 "Good Night My Angel" (Please give it a listen).

Sweetpea and his Momma

So as we danced, the Nor'easter of 2018 blew around us and through the windows of Lands End all everyone could see were the waves of the Great South Bay crashing against the shore but all I could see was my tiny baby all grown up!


As we listened to the fantastic South Shore band Trade Winds play this song so beautifully, my heartstrings were stretched and my tears flowed. He smiled at me and said "Thank  you Mom". 

And that was it for me! All was perfect in the world of this "Simple Girl From Long Island" as her baby bookend (youngest of 5) started his next adventure. 

Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)

Billy Joel

Goodnight my angel, time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
Then you should always know
Wherever you may go, no matter where you are
I never will be far away

Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me
When we went sailing on an emerald bay
And like a boat out on the ocean
I'm rocking you to sleep
The water's dark and deep, inside this ancient heart
You'll always be a part of me

Goodnight my…

Dear Childhood, please stay just a little bit longer!

Giving Thanks but Childhood couldn't you stay just a little bit longer? 💗

When our youngest, aka Sweetpea, was a senior in HS he and his buddies from grammar school decided on their last Halloween together to go Trick or Treating one last time. His older brothers really ribbed him about being way too old but inwardly I was glad they were having fun and not up to mischief. Heck, I was still calling him Sweetpea and they ribbed me for that. 

The following Halloween he sent me a picture from the back of a Chinook helicopter. My heart skipped a beat.  What a difference a year makes! How could this have happened? How could this have happened- THIS FAST? 

This all just got way too real for this Mom and childhood toys and games were not even remotely a part of this adventure.

I am so truly glad I was never one to rush my kids’ to grow up and put away their their toys. Oh wait, I actually yelled at them to put away their toys, a lot! Okay, you got me on that one. But what I mean is I am so very, very glad they were still playing with toys and being children. Even if they each got their first jobs at 13-14 yrs old (a story for another post), they came home to ride their bikes and play manhunt in the woods. 

Even though I let them be children for as long as they wished; Childhood still went by way too fast! 

This past weekend Sweetpea married his high school sweetheart. Before family and friends they declared their love for one and other in the secrament of Holy Matrimony. I just cannot believe this! I cry tears of full emotion just trying to get my head around this. Can you believe this? I just can't.

He married a woman who adores him and they love and respect each other. They are both military. Many people say that the military will help to mature young people a lot faster than anything else and that is one of the reasons they marry younger than others the same age. I saw that first hand. They were both full time college students when they joined. While their friends were off at spring break they were off at drill. So many other rites of passage that college students experience they chose not to. And they were okay with that even if others did not understand.

Who knew that when he was just a very little boy at the beach playing in the sand with his brothers' plastic toy soldiers  that years later it would no longer be considered playing? 

He loves his job and from what I hear, he is also very good at it. He adores his wife and is living his life to the fullest with a happy heart. 

My cup runeth over! 
Truly, truly blessed!