A Defining Moment on Halloween

I had a defining moment today...seem to be having quite a few of those lately. To set the stage: I haven't felt great over the last few days. Millie and I have been battling with sinus or allergy issues or something. Maybe it's this crazy "It's hot...It's cold...It's hot again" Florida weather.

Anyway, Donny graciously let me sleep in a little this morning. Once I did get up, I spent most of the morning letting the kids watch Sesame Street and just keeping them alive. After taking them to the bank and Wal-Mart after lunch, I asked them if they wanted to play outside. And we did.

Hunter brought out a foam sword and a newspaper pirate hat that Donny made for him. He asked me if I wanted to be a pirate. "Sure," I said. Nothing else to do...just biding my time until nap time...so I became a pirate.

More background: Hunter got a Monster Truck for his birthday from his amazing Aunt Becky. This truck has everything...2 speeds and reverse, a truck bed with tailgate, and a working FM Radio. Millie's favorite thing to do with the truck is turn on the radio and scan the stations (Mommy's little girl...I LOVE scanning the stations until I find just the right song).

Anyway, as Millie was scanning the stations, she stopped it on a Charlie Daniel's song. The one they sometimes play for Monday Night football where it says: "All my rowdy friends are coming over tonight." And we danced...I was dressed up in a newspaper pirate hat holding a foam sword, and I danced with my kids (who were not in costume) in my garage to my 4 year old's monster truck FM radio...to honky tonk...and I loved it. I paused (rather dramatically) and thought: "Wow...this is the most energy I have had all day...and I am dancing in my garage with my kids." I kinda looked around to see if anyone was watching...but I really didn't care.

After a while, Millie started scanning songs again. Unfortunately, it landed on "What if God was one of us," and she walked away with it playing. I detest that song, so I bent down and started messing with the FM radio in his monster truck. One of the first songs I hit in my scanning quest was all too familiar, all too appropriate, and the 1980's little girl in me leapt with joy (all the while still wearing my pirate costume). The familar intro complete with synthesizer and bass...It was Thriller.

My kids have no idea what that song is. Hopefully they will never know much of Michael Jackson. But I danced to Thriller today while my kids played outside. They weren't even in the garage anymore at this point. I was in a pirate hat, holding a foam sword, and my soul was filled with a pathetic sense of satisfaction. I heard Thriller...on Halloween...and I danced to it in my garage. Alone. In a pirate hat. A defining moment? Perhaps. Not sure what it says about me. But it was fun. To all those who know how your heart leaps when you hear that familiar intro to Thriller and forget the cares of the moment and recapture something of your youth, Happy Halloween. We are kindred spirits.