What’s in a name?

Apparently, a lot. It’s taken me a while to get my blog started because I could not decide on a name. Why not “The Cokers” or “Meet the Cokers” you ask? Because, it’s too boring. No offense to all of you out there who took this route. I wanted something more interesting. Something that made a statement, about me, about what I am writing about. I toyed with lots of names. Thanks for all the suggestions by the way.

That’s when it hit me…Down Home. Reason #1 – it’s the title of one of my all time favorite songs. Reason #2 – I’m a stay-at-home mom. Reason #3 – well, I can’t think of another good reason other than I like it.

Reason #1 – I studied abroad the summer of my Junior year at Clemson. I was at Corpus Christi College at Oxford University. When I first got there I was a little homesick. Yes, me, homesick. You see, right before I left for Oxford, it was baseball season. I was at every home Clemson baseball game, tailgating in right field. It was probably the best time of my life. So anyway…back to the song. I had my iPod full of my favorite songs sans one – Down Home by Alabama. And being a little homesick…oh yeah, did I mention I only knew one other person at the beginning of the trip? That quickly changed, but I still longed to hear “Down Home”. And yes, it was the first song I listened to when I got back to SC.

For those of you that don’t know the song, here are the lyrics…

Down Home

Just off of the beaten path
A little dot on a state road map
That’s where I was born and where I’ll die
Things move at a slower pace
Nobody’s in the rat race
And these days that’s a special way of life

Chorus:
Down home, where they know you by name
And treat you like family
Down home, a man’s good word and hand shake
Are all you need
Folks know if they’re falling on hard times
They can fall back on
Those of us raised up down home

In the corner of the hardware store
Gathered ’round a checkerboard
Old men telling lies and crowning kings
Kids driving ’round the old town square
Tops rolled down in the cool night air
Go and see what’s shaking at the Dairy Queen

Repeat Chorus

Bridge
When I was a boy, I couldn’t wait to leave this place
But now I want to see my children raised down home, down home

Folks know if they’re falling on hard times
They can fall back on
Those of us raised up…

Repeat Chorus

Reason #2 – I am a stay-at-home mom. We live in the country, in a little town called Gilbert. Well, we’re not actually in the town limits but that’s our address. And yes, it’s “a little dot on a state road map”.  I intend to blog about my life in small town America as a stay-at-home mom.

Reason #3 – do I really need to explain this reason? I sure hope not!