Sisters' Night Out

Last week, Vickie and I went to see Mat Kearney in DC.  I only started listening to his music when Nate used "Hey Mama" as the backing track for the video he made with footage from his first visit to meet Nora, but Vickie has been a fan since high school and has gone to several of his shows.  I saw that he was going to be in town, so I thought it would be the perfect chance for a sisters' night out.  She made reservations for us to eat at Founding Farmers beforehand, and after our drinks arrived, I looked over her shoulder to discover that Mat Kearney was a few tables away!  I told her I was going to go say hello to him, and she first told me I was NOT allowed to do that.  When she said that her meeting him would be like me meeting Andy Roddick, however, my obligation as her older sister trumped anything she might say or do to keep me from bothering him. Obviously it was my responsibility to get a picture of the two of them.  He and his friends (who turned out to be his musicians) didn't have any food, so I just went up to him, explained that we were looking forward to his show, and asked if he would mind taking a picture with my sister.  She was really funny and I could tell she was freaking out a little, but I don't think he noticed.  He was really cool, chatted with us for several minutes, and seemed pleased to have the chance to meet some fans.  He also insisted that I pose in the picture, got his bassist to take it, re-arranged us so he would be in the middle, and requested we take a second picture with flash because it "is more flattering-- trust me."  Obviously I am totally awesome at meeting celebrities and don't make them feel awkward at all (in case you're reading, Andy Roddick.)

(Yes, we are wearing Oregon gear on purpose.  Mat is a fellow Oregon native.  Make fun of us all you want-- he complimented our attire.)

The show was awesome.  We were in the 10th row, right on the side aisle, so we could see and hear everything perfectly.  We had assigned seats and were home around 11, so it didn't even remind me that I am past my partying prime.  I had been listening to all of his CDs on repeat for a few weeks prior, so I knew all the songs, and he played all my favorite ones.  But best of all, it was so much fun to go with Vickie.  It made me realize that one of the things I've missed the most since Nora was born is adult conversation.  I love spending so much time with Nora, and I'm happy that people ask about her constantly because I like talking about her and telling people how she's doing.  But when she's with me, I have to keep at least half of my attention on her at all times, so that limits the types of conversations I can have with my friends and family members. Over the past year, Billy and I have gone on a few dates, but I've spent the rest of my time away from Nora trying to maximize the amount of work I could get done.  Getting the chance to do something with Vickie that she really enjoyed, and having the chance to give the conversation my full attention while we sat and talked, were definitely the best parts of the night (sorry, Mat).

So big thank yous are in order.  For Mat Kearney, who gave us a reason to go out and helped make the night memorable for both of us-- if you ever get the chance to see him live, you should definitely go.   But especially for Billy, who stayed home with Nora so that I could enjoy a completely worry-free night away.  As we headed from dinner to the show, I realized that I hadn't even felt the need to text Billy to make sure Nora had gone to bed okay.  She had, of course.  But this must be some major milestone, right?