Stolen Dance by Milky Chance

I was sitting at a table at Seasons 52 with my new boss, her boss, and 2 new colleagues.  It was the last night of my work trip to Dallas. I had traveled to Dallas to start my new (old) job, after a 4 1/2 year hiatus as a stay-at-home mom. It was positively the most adult experience I had in years.  It was my first overnight away from Lila, so it had been at least 18 months since I had spent a night by myself.  I was in heaven.  When I first learned I needed to go back to work full-time, I was honestly panicked.  I felt sad, I felt guilty.  Then when I was sitting in the airport on my way to Dallas holding nothing but my purse (no kids, no diaper bag, no stroller, no snacks), I felt guilty in an entirely different way because I was enjoying myself so darn much!!  I didn't realize how much I needed this break and how ready I actually was to recapture some sense of who I was as an individual, not just the mother of my darling children. It would take some getting used to, but I was well on my way.

It was an exciting 3 days of training and seeing faces new and old.  I was excited to be back at such a great company amongst some really great people.  The days were long and tiring in a completely different way.  The nights were beyond fun.  I didn't have to cook, clean up, or deal with any of the nighttime routine.  I could watch a show in my bed.  I could take a glass of wine up to my room.  I got to go out to dinners at grown up restaurants that didn't serve chicken nuggets and no one was picking off of my plate or asking for something.  I got to hang out at the hotel bar and talk to other adults.  I got to dress up in my fantastic new work clothes and I looked and felt like a million bucks. Sitting in Seasons 52, I was immensely enjoying my dinner and heard this song playing overhead.  I figured out what it was later that evening and downloaded it. I listened to it obsessively all the way home on the plane and waiting for my bags at baggage claim.  One year later, it still reminds me of the start of a new adventure and a new phase of my life.