I'm driving in the car today with my three daughters. Molly who is 15 has agreed to get Sadie (7) and Nora (5) safely to their swim lessons at the Y while I drive one town over to attend a monthly meeting for my job. We are listening to music chosen by Molly from her Ipod. Her name is Kimya Dawson and she writes songs with lyrics like this:
i took the polaroid down in my room
i'm pretty sure you have a new girlfriend
it's not as if i don't like you
it just makes me sad whenever i see it

cause i like to be gone most of the time
and you like to be home most of the time
if i stay in one place i lose my mind
i'm a pretty impossible lady to be with

chorus:

joey never met a bike that he didn't wanna ride
and i never met a toby that i didn't like
scotty liked all the books that i recommended
and even if he didn't, i wouldn't be offended

i had a dream that i had to drive to madison
to deliver a painting for some silly reason
i took a wrong turn and ended up michigan
paul baribeau took me to the giant tire swing
gave me a push and he started singing
i sang along while i was swinging
the sound of our voices made us forget everything
that had ever hurt our feelings

(chorus)
now i'm home for less than 24 hours
that's hardly time to take a shower,
hug my family and take your picture off the wall
check my email, write a song and make a few phone calls
before it's time to leave again
i got one hand on the steering wheel one waving out the window
if i'm a spinster for the rest of my life
my yarns will keep me warm on cold and lonely nights

We are all just lost in the songs and smiling and I am thinking about this teenager that is mine and how a year ago she would put on her Ipod and not share with us and how just in one year by pulling her out of the schools and getting all on her side and seeing her and talking to her. Here she is sharing a piece of herself with us and we are glad to have her. We are glad she is here with us today and yesterday we were glad when she came down to the FFC rehearsal just to spend time with us. I am glad to know her and she is glad to know me.
I dropped them off in front of the Y and watched as those little ones tagged behind Molly, all Ipod and big red sunglasses smiling and laughing together. My younger daughters think the world of her and just look at her in dreamy young girl ways.
I had a nice meeting with my colleagues at my office and it was nice to share ideas and be together and then I went back in to my mommy world and picked them all up and there they were waiting for me in front hair plastered to their faces from the swim.
Sadie asked about my meeting and Molly talked about meetings that she had been at for her work and Sadie said she couldn't wait to have a meeting someday and it was agreed that someday Sadie will have a meeting.
Nora chewed on trail mix all the way home digging for the candy and Sadie dreamed of meetings. Molly and I listened to NPR and talked about Obama and boys and meetings and sunglasses, eating too much carbs and exercising and fashion and boys and make up and apartments and friends and TV.......
all in the fifteen minute ride home.