Our kids talk about “the girl Daddy would’ve married if he hadn’t married you” every once in a while. This beautiful, talented woman doesn’t even know that she’s the one who barely got away! Until this past weekend, I’d never actually met her in person. Well, I guess I didn’t officially meet her, but I did get to witness her up close and personal and at her finest. She and I are the same age, and her oldest daughter is the same age as my oldest son. She has three children while I have four, and we have similar hair colors, are both short, and can both be pretty full of life. I’d like to say that we are both INCREDIBLY talented, but unfortunately, that would be quite a stretch!!

The beautiful woman I’m talking about is Martina McBride, and she sang “our song” when we were dating and still sings “our song” each time Rowland calls my cell phone. “My Baby Loves Me” is the name of the song, and it describes how he loves me “just the way that I am.” “He thinks I’m pretty. He thinks I’m smart. He likes my nerve, and he loves my heart. He’s always saying he’s my biggest fan. My baby loves me just the way that I am! My baby loves me just the way that I am.”

Martina on the Big Screen (stage pics didn’t turn out very well)

In March, I bought tickets to Martina’s concert and was able to keep the secret from Rowland until we were walking into the outdoor amphitheater. Honestly, I think he was as excited as I was to be there. I don’t care how old (oops - young) that girl is, she can sing it even in Denver, something tough for every artist we’ve seen here. She’s been called the Celine Dion of country music, and while I’m not a Celine Dion fan, I’d have to agree. The crowd was nuts for her, standing ovation after standing ovation. The songs I especially paid to hear were “My Baby Loves Me,” “Independence Day,” and Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” and I couldn’t have been more impressed!!!

The coolest part of the whole concert was standing next to my sexy man, singing out just like Martina (in my own mind anyway! HA!!), and knowing that in spite of myself, after all these years and four kids later, “My baby love me JUST THE WAY THAT I AM,” and his baby loves him just the way that he is (which is probably a LOT easier)! Glad he didn’t marry the girl he would’ve married if he hadn’t married me!

Our Own IPhone Photo

Why is it that men get to do whatever in the heck they want to do whenever in the heck they want to do it? For some women, their husbands hunt. For some, they golf. Others have hobbies like skiing or fishing or boating. Some men run or bike or swim. There are those men who put together models or work on cars or watch every sporting event shown on television. Still others attend any game for which tickets can be found. Some men are musicians or artists or horsemen. ALL MEN have hobbies.

Many women have hobbies as well. I, for one, enjoy reading. I also love to shop and have Girls Night Out. I’d even go so far as to say that one of my hobbies is just piddling around the house. It makes me feel good!

The difference in men and women? Men choose when they’ll do their hobbies and let their wives know, assuming she’s available to watch THEIR children. Women ask permission, make sure that the man will, in fact, be at home, that he has not already made other plans. It’s universal. If you men ever wonder what we talk about under our breaths when we think you’re not listening, you now know. Many of the men I know are fantastic husbands, hands-on fathers, great providers…..Still the question remains - Why is that men get to do whatever in the heck they want to do whenever in the heck they want to do it?