Leave It Like It Is

I think it was December when I was driving home late one Sunday night from dinner at my mom's house and I heard this song on the radio for the first time. It was late enough that all my kids had fallen asleep in the car so it was nice and peaceful as I drove (Joe was at work) and you know how much you love your kids when they're sleeping and how angelic and perfect they look. Well, this song totally made me cry! I loved it! As soon as I got home I looked up the radio station's website to find out the name of the song and artist and I've been a die-hard Cherie Call fan ever since. I LOVE her voice and her lyrics are so beautiful and honest and I just relate to them so much. I've bought tons of her music since then.

Tonight I was listening to this song again and I decided to write down the lyrics so I could put them in my journal but I thought I'd share here, too. They're really beautiful to read, but I'd really recommend listening to the song, because that adds so much when you can hear the music. It still makes me cry everytime! People always say kids grow up too fast and to live in the moment and try your best to enjoy it, and I really do try to do that every day. Although I love seeing my kids grow and learn and change, I also really love the way our life is right now and I hope I can always remember it and keep a piece of it in my heart to treasure forever. This song captures so many of my own thoughts and feelings.

So, here are the lyrics to "Leave It Like It Is" by Cherie Call.

I have lists of things I tell Him every night,
about the ways that I've been wishing that my life could be.
I close my eyes and say, "Help me get some sleep tonight.
I've got a great big day tomorrow, help me get it right."

And on and on go all the wishes, for the money and the business
that will come and go so quickly, but then time stands still.
And I watch the sleeping faces of the ones that I adore,
I see this life I love, and I plead with God above,
to leave it like it is.

The next day's a normal day, but I have changed somehow.
There's a halo made of sunlight touching everything.
I hear my children laugh, I see my baby smile,
and we're just talking over breakfast for a little while.

And all the questions and the wishes and the clean and dirty dishes
that are spread out on the counter seem to disappear.
And I am living in a picture with the ones that I adore.
I see this life I love, and I plead with God above,
to leave it like it is.

And it feels so fragile sometimes,
'cause it's more than I deserve
and it takes my breathe away.

I watch my daughter put a blanket on a doll,
and I know that she'll grow up and move away.
But not today.

And all the wishing and the wanting, and the dreaming and the
haunting will come back again tomorrow, time will not be still.
But as I live here in the presence of the ones that I adore,
I know this night won't stay, but I ask God anyway,
to leave it like it is.