Music Therapy..and other things

Maggie and I are back here in Michigan, soaking up the beauty once again and relaxing with the family.  

Sometimes things get so stressful that you just need to get away.  Unfortunately, sometimes the city reminds me of all of the bad things that have happened over the past few months.  It's sad, because I moved to Chicago almost 8 years ago, basically on a whim, and I always believed that it was "meant to be" because so many great and (forgive my cheesiness) magical things seemed to happen to me here: I moved to a "big city", something I always dreamed of, I grew so much as a person and had so many wonderful experiences that changed me for the good,  I met the most wonderful man ever, had a series of wonderful experiences professionally, met so many great people, got married and the best of them all, had Maggie.  But, unfortunately, all of the recent events have kind of tainted all that.  I know that I shouldn't think of it like that but, seriously, things continue to happen that just make me wonder...why? Why us? Why Maggie? Why? Why? Why?

I know, I'm supposed to be positive all of the time and never act like I don't get down, but the fact of the matter is that I do.  I get really sad sometimes.  Sometimes I even feel depressed.  But, luckily, I remember all of the good things and I go right back to being optimistic and happy.  If you do not have a child who is sick or has special needs, you will never know what this feels like.  I remember reading things like that when I was in school for my Special Ed degree and thinking I knew...but I really, really didn't.  I have to understand that it's okay to be sad and to feel things.  Sometimes I feel like in our society it isn't okay to be real and have real feelings and to show emotion.  We aren't robots, people.  

Now, don't get me wrong.  I have it great.  I have a wonderful family and I married into a wonderful family.  We have an unbelievable support system of friends and family to lean on.  Mike and I both have jobs and health insurance.  We know the questions to ask and we know people who can help us out.  We are so, so grateful for all of this because I can't even imagine what it would be like otherwise.  But there are a lot of people out there who are struggling.  So I have my moments of insanity, and then I am brought right back down to reality... 

Okay, so now that I'm done with my rant, I'll get onto something that has proven to be so therapeutic, not only throughout my life, but (I believe) for Maggie as well.

Mike and I love music, and we have so many wonderful memories stemming from music in some way. I grew up with music filling my house.  It is unexplainable, but certain songs take me back to certain times in my life and special memories: music filling the air on Sunday mornings with sunshine coming in the front window as I lay on the oval carpet to wake up in the warmth, listening to Oldies 104.3 in the garage or in dad's pick-up truck, spontaneous family sing-alongs to The Eagles' Witchy Woman at dinner.  I could go on and on.  Music can draw up feelings that I had at that time and memories that I didn't think I remembered.  I am so inspired by music, it is definitely the one constant in my life and the one thing that is guaranteed to lift my spirit and touch my soul.  I want Maggie to grow up like that too.  I definitely think she has gotten the 'music gene'.  She seems to calm more when there's music on and she likes to be sung to.  I will never forget listening to The Shins in the delivery room as we had Maggie.  Mike really wanted to put on Jason Mraz, but I love The Shins so much he kept it on for me.  So, Maggie was literally brought into this world with music.  Not to mention, she had to listen to my voice belting out 80's hits every morning while I drove to and from work!  I swear, I listened to The Shins Simple Song so many times in my last trimester that she can identify it now when I put it on! Sometimes we do put it on just to calm her.  

I started thinking about music this morning.  It is a rainy morning here in Pinckney, but looking out over the lake is so beautiful and calming.  She started to fuss so I put on music through the TV.  70's hits, of course, and she immediately stopped.  We looked out the big bay window, swayed to the music and I sang to her (living out my own karaoke dreams!).  The first song we heard was The Eagles Peaceful Easy Feeling.  I LOVE that song.  You may say I'm cheesy, but that's not the first time and it won't be the last.  Man, those guys can harmonize.  I admit here and now, I love The Eagles.  I have a sneaking suspicion that it's my dad's fault.  He is a very talented guitar player and he has a voice as well, although he'd never let you know.  He listened to all of those great bands as we were growing up and I still absolutely love them all, so much more than anything today or even from the past 30 years.  The music up until the 70's, and I'm talking even the 20's, 30's, 40's, etc., was so phenomenal.  Music will never be like that again.  So, I guess it's a bit of nostalgia that plays a part in why I love music.  We love singing to Maggie.  Instead of Rod Stewart's Maggie May we sing Maggie Shae.  Instead of Elton John's Bennie and The Jets we say, you guessed it, Maggie and The Jets.  Instead of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons' Sherry Baby it's Maggie Baby.  Even the lyrics to Mike's favorite (he's going to kill me) The Macarena is changed to "Hey, Maggie Shae".

Oh music, I love you so.  You've been so good to me...music heals the soul and makes our days a little bit easier..and fun.

Here's Maggie's reaction to 70's Classic Rock: maxin' and relaxin' 

Maggie looking out the big bay window at Grandma & Grandpa's.  

The doctor's say laying on her side helps the back of her head from getting too flat, 

since she had to lay on her back a lot when she was recovering.
It looks to me like she inherited a love for nature :)