When you're mom and your day consists mostly of trying to decipher what "oo foo shoo ee" means, changing diapers, reading 5 piles of childrens' books over & over, making meals that your toddler scarfs down in the 10 seconds you can get her to sit still, then talking her into bed time, you NEED some moments like that.
I always said I was going to be one of those "fun moms", you know, not like my mom but one of those moms who still goes out just as much as pre-kids. Oh, I love my pre-baby thought process, she really knew everything (eye roll). "She" was also convinced she would go on a week long trip to Mexico when baby was 6 months and that would be absolutely no problem, why would I miss the baby she'd be fine for a week? Oh boy. She had no idea who she would turn into or how much her life would be consumed by this little person and all the chores that came along with her. She had no idea the emotional attachment that comes along with being a mother, the worry, the exhaustion, the constant to-do list that fills you to capacity. Not in a bad way, just different. I am different. And you can't ever go back once you are changed.
I know this doesn't describe everyone and there certainly are moms whose lifestyle doesn't really change that much and somehow have the time and energy to stay out late and not want to kill themselves for it the next morning when they are woken up at 7 AM by a raring to go child (Barf, who ARE these superwomen anyway) but, I am not one of those women. At this point I would usually just rather go on an evening family bike ride, then stay home, get comfy, put P to bed, and catch up on DVR or a book or chores or time with the husband, or better yet, sleep.
Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that & actually I'm very satisfied with that...most of the time. But, if I'm going to be tired or not feeling so hot the next day it better be worth my while so I kind of pick my battles & go out with a bang when the mood strikes and well it definitely struck on Friday--I told J Friday morning I had the itch to go to this concert but didn't have anyone to go with & by 5 PM we had a babysitter and we were on our way!
The first time I saw Luke was at Country Thunder a few years ago before he was as popular (I think he played at like 5PM & headliner wasn't until 9) and we won passes to a meet & greet with him. Of course that was super exciting but after that I wasn't too impressed with the "pretty boy". However, this performance was soooo much better & I gotta say he earned my respect back Friday night. So thank you to Luke Bryan for providing us with a night of pure fun, of not being a mom but just being me and for one of my favorite date nights ever!! And from all the other posts I have seen on FB, it looks like it was a memorable night for a lot of other people also. I would definitely go to another one of his concerts in a heartbeat! Here's the article from the paper below, I think it sums it up perfectly.....
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/BSD-Luke-Bryan-061612
Bryan pours it on with rain dance
A little rain fails to dampen shrieking girls' enthusiasm for country heartthrob
The skies opened up, and the Steamboat Days faithful lifted their arms to the heavens and praised St. Luke.
And the rain came down upon the waterfront as Burlington was baptized with country music by Luke Bryan.
Last night will live long in many memories as the best Boatin' night in history.
It began with Morgan Frazier, who performed at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville last week, then drove up to Burlington to open last night's show. The 19-year-old wore cowboy boots and cutoffs and said it was by far the largest crowd she's ever entertained.
"I'm blown away by the people," Frazier said after her 45-minute set. "I had a wonderful time here."
So did the audience, who grooved to Morgan's powerful vocals as she covered hits from Janis Joplin's "Bobby McGee" to Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" to Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker." Frazier is young and green, but she commands attention when she sings, and we'll be seeing her down the road as a major star.
The skies were spitting, and the backdrop was being furled when emcee Scott Smith announced Luke Bryan, who came roaring into the night with his hit, "Rain Is a Good Thing." Bryan wore skin-tight jeans over thighs an NFL running back would boast, and he worked the runway to an ocean of screams from the heavily female population of the VIP pit.
Five University of Nebraska co-eds drove over from Lincoln yesterday to hold up signs for Luke Bryan.
"No, Luke Bryan, you shake it for us!" one placard said.
Lindsay McElhose, Brooke Andrijeski, Jocelyn Hopkins, Jenna Peterson and Jenna Uher wailed like cheerleaders, "We're the Luke Bryan Shakers!" bouncing with pure joy.
Bryan did two things we haven't seen in a month of Steamboat Days nights.
He danced. Cue the shrieking and panting girls.
He played in the rain. And the harder it came down, the harder Bryan played.
It began pouring a few songs into the set, and Bryan stayed out on the runway, embracing the gentle rain and the waves of good vibes that flooded from the audience.
"Here's the deal," he said going into yet another of his songs that had the people singing along like they were at a Pentecostal tent revival. "Let it rain, let it pour, let's get drunk!"
It was a lot like Woodstock, without the mud. And the absence of lightning was a blessing.
Bryan is a showman and knows how to work the crowd so well he generated surging tides of noise from his faithful, like Moses at a picnic down by the Red Sea, just by standing there beaming down upon everyone.
He had no trouble remembering where he was and made multiple references to Burlington - even changing the lyrics to the verse of one song to make it about Burlington by the Mississippi - and the state.
"Iowa needs rain, so we ain't stoppin'!" Bryan shouted into the deluge. "We'll just have the biggest wet T-shirt contest ever!"
The resulting outburst deafened all who weren't wearing earplugs.
It was a fabulous night to be alive in our little corner of the world. The stage lights turned the falling water into a tapestry more beautiful than any special effect, and Bryan's band put out great music throughout, and they left the safety of the overhang to join their leader in the downpour, making them one with the audience.
Luke Bryan turned the storm into perfect Steamboat weather.
The southside bands were there, too: Spazm was blessed with a large, rain-free pre-Bryan audience.
"We enjoyed everyone singing along, and all the smiles on their faces," Spazm guitarist Bryan Siverly said.
Chicago's Mike & Joe, plagued by mayflies last year, inherited fans soaked and exhausted by Bryan.
But everyone still was smiling when they went home.
J & I at the concert
Country Thunder 2008
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