Stupid Mothers, Teenagers &
Country Music

It’s Tuesday night as I write my Wednesday post having totally missed writing on Monday. Being spontaneous can get in the way of blogging.

We spent an extra night in Nashville. You cannot believe how exhausting it is to listen to country music.

Actually, I think it was most exhausting to travel with three teenage girls.

From the teenage daughters’ perspective (because much to their dismay, I was both a teenager and a daughter) and as their mother, I am entitled to speak for them…

These are the observations I made on this trip that I realize will not be giant revelations for many of you. Think of them more as the beginning of the by-laws for our Mean Mother Club…

• Mothers are stupid.
• Mothers are embarrassing.
• Mothers should not dance.
• Mothers should not like country music.
• Mothers should not think a country music singer is
  “good looking”, “cute” or “hot”.

My biggest personal revelation about teenage girls is that there are many ways that this season of their life is very similar to the one you thought you had already made it through–the toddler stage…

• They throw tantrums when they don’t get their way.
• They are loud at inappropriate times.
• They are very cranky when they don’t get enough sleep.
• They are very, very stubborn.
• Everything is a power struggle. “I do it myself.”
• You have to keep your eye on them or they get lost.

(Roger Leroy & Sharté got on the wrong shuttle bus and went to Opryland which is nowhere near downtown Nashville.)

Fellow Stupid Mother and friend Lisa and I did have tons of fun in spite of the teenagers.

The teenagers had tons of fun in spite of their mothers.

I think they would all agree that one of the biggest highlights of the four-day festival was on Friday.

First the back story…

They had to walk seven blocks because Stupid Mother #1 (me) overheard that THE ONE singer who they HAD TO meet and get HER autograph, was shooting a video outside on the steps of the Ryman Auditorium. I actually had to demand that they come because they were *busy* at the Sports Zone about to play some game or spin some wheel to win a laminated calendar or matchbox car.

What followed was waiting for over two hours in sweltering heat standing curbside just five steps from a drum set waiting to see who was coming out.

SHE came out and was darling and was overwhelmed by the crowd that had gathered. SHE sang a new song that no one had heard before. SHE came down to the yellow police tape and shook hands and thanked everyone for coming.

The crowd dispersed.

Stupid Mother #1 quietly said to Roger Leroy, “You know SHE has to come out of the building but it won’t be out of these doors. You all need to go around and find the door with a car or limo and maybe you can get her autograph.”

Roger Leroy said, as she rolled her eyes, “I’m thirsty and we’re going back to the Sports Zone. We’ll get HER autograph tomorrow.”

(Because standing in line with 800 people who also got tickets to get HER autograph the next day would be super fun.)

Stupid Mother #1 said to Stupid Mother #2 (Lisa) “I just told her that SHE will have to come out the building and the girls should find the back door but Roger Leroy is thirsty and I guess I’m just having another stupid idea.”

I gave it one more shot and asked Roger Leroy if she had told Sharté
(#1 fan) what I had suggested.

They had a private teenager conference. Sharté asked where I thought they should go. I suggested the alley and walk around the building.

They actually started down the alley!

About 30 minutes later, they came around the corner, running uphill in 100 degree weather screaming like excited, happy toddlers.

Because they met HER and SHE asked if they wanted a picture with HER…

Taylor Swift
is a delightful and refreshing role model for teenage girls.

HER debut album where all the songs she either wrote or co-wrote is triple platinum. SHE is a recent high school graduate and is currently touring with Rascal Flatts.

And she TOUCHED our daughters!!!!!

The Stupid Mothers were very happy for their daughters!

We hope they will always remember this special trip.

We hope they know how very much we love them…
through every season.

Meanwhile, the Stupid Mothers loved, loved, loved listening and looking at Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Chuck Wicks, Luke Bryan, Craig Morgan, Rodney Atkins, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins and many, many other great musicians.

Oh, and Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Sara Evans, Kellie Pickler, Miranda Lambert, and many other ladies were really good too.

Teenage daughters will have to get their own blog to tell their side of the story.

P.S. Would you please send me an email and let me know if you received this post or my Friday post through your email subscription OR if you read my blog through an RSS feed? I think the service is not working again. I love to try to fix things that are out of my control…