Today…a dream comes true for my Mom, my little gal and me! A little background is required, I believe:
For those of you that know me, or are just getting to know me you most likely know the following:
- I like to workout.
- I founded a super, amazing, ridiculously awesome company called Hot Mama Health & Fitness (honk! honk!)
- I work tirelessly to (hopefully) motivate and inspire families to move their bodies…together.
- My entire world revolves around my two kids and my husband.
- I like wine and peanut butter cups (together or not, it doesn’t matter).
- My first memories are of going to aerobics classes and watching my Mama teach.
But what you may not know is that I am one of Dolly Parton’s biggest fans. And today, TODAY,my Mama, my daughter and I get to go see her in Vancouver. Holy s**t! WAHOOOO! I’m freakin’ out over here.
My entire childhood revolves around aerobics music (bonjour Olivia Newton-John, Let’s Get Physical) and Dolly Parton. They are the soundtrack to my life and only one of them still gets played almost daily. I’ll let you guess which one, I’ll give you a hint: no leotard required.
I remember blasting “Jolene” in the car with my Mom as we drove to ringette practices (my American readers have no idea what this is, do you?!). I remember watching “Dolly” on t.v. (the BEST show to EVER HAVE BEEN ON TV!). And, this one makes me laugh: I remember watching “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” over and over and over (as a mother now, I question my Mom on this one…Mom, seriously…you let me watch a movie about prostitutes?!). HA!
And, I will never ever forget Dolly ending her show by sitting on a stool singing “I Will Always Love You”. I KNEW she was singing just to me. I KNEW IT.
I have Dolly in my blood. I got it from my Mom and I have certainly passed it down to my 6-year old daughter whose favorites songs are “9 to 5” (because is there a better song?!) and “Two Doors Down”. When I ask “what music shall we listen to today” it’s always a resounding “DOLLY PARTNER”. Oh yeah, she’s called her Dolly Partner since she could speak and now she’s 6 and I just don’t have the heart to correct her. She’s gonna be so mad at me when she does figure it out. :p
We honestly do all things Dolly. Music, movies, even reading. My kids were a part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. This is a program Dolly created to help the imagination of children run wild through books. Each of my kiddos received a book in the mail every month until they were five and they were the most exciting days for my kiddos. Who doesn’t love getting mail?! And a book?! YES PLEASE…honestly, Ms. Parton…best program ever. Thank you.
I digress…back to my excitement for today! My Mom and I decided a few years ago that we had to make a trip to see Dolly soon. 3 generations at Dolly? Yes, please! So, when she announced her Canadian tour I received a text from my Mom…I could almost see her squealing and jumping up and down like a 13-year old girl as she sent it. I got online and looked at tickets. Vancouver! She’s coming to Vancouver! I got the tickets for all of us and I cried and cried and cried with joy!
My husband came home as I was buying the tickets and he’s a music guy, so he understood what this meant. This is a lifelong dream come true. I know that sounds so silly, but Dolly really is the soundtrack to my life and she is absolutely the soundtrack to my little gal’s life. I sing “Love is Like a Butterfly” to her almost every night and it’s the one song I can sing that will calm her down. It’s the best.
Anywho…back to the excitement. The three of us are going ALL OUT! We have ROW 2 tickets, we’re going VIP (thanks, Mom!!!) and get to go backstage to see Dolly’s costumes and do a museum tour…DID I MENTION ROW 2?! I’ll be close enough to motorboat…wait…no….inappropriate.
So, I didn’t sleep last night. I was too amped and excited. It’s not every day that you get to go see a woman who has influenced your musical life so much. If there’s a moment in my day where I’m feeling blue, Dolly pulls me out. It’s the oddest thing. I look up to her as a business woman and I could listen to her music all day, every day. My husband has a massive record collection and he always always finds new Dolly albums for me (it’s love, true love).
So Dolly…the girls are coming for you. My daughter has her sparkly dress and cowgirl boots picked out, my Mom has made her sparkly “3 Generations Loving Dolly” sign for my daughter to wave around and me…I’ll be the woman bawling her eyes out in row 2. Don’t worry…I’ll get it together. I am beyond excited and cannot wait to experience tonight with my Mom and my daughter. Even cooler? My grade 6 teacher is also coming with us! Talk about being surrounded by people who’ve influenced you!
I didn’t sleep last night. How could I? This is a dream come true and I am going to enjoy every single moment of it with my Mom and my daughter by my side!
Thanks, Dolly…for all you do and for being who you are. See you soon!
HOLY S**T! See you soon!!!!!!!