Birthday & Celebration
Pink on the Pavement
A real Victory Voice Media track from the Birthday & Celebration collection.
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It came in quiet from the doctor’s page Folded up truth, sealed by age They handed me the secret, said “Can you keep it tight?” I smiled like I always do — I know how to guard a light Twenty-five years ago, I played this game When Grace was just a heartbeat, not yet a name Nurses slipped the secret, I locked it down inside Bruce was shouting “Burt Ernest!” — I just let him ride Some secrets sit heavy Some sparkle and shine Some are meant for grandmas Who know when it’s time I was the keeper of the secret Held it steady, held it strong Two soccer balls on the pavement And the whole damn crowd got it wrong Silver glitter hit the concrete They swore that it was blue I said “No, no, no — psych!” That one was just a joke for you Had to stop the cheering, had to slow it down Said “That was just a practice run, let’s gather ‘round” Figured she needed a warm-up kick Before the real moment, before the trick Then the second ball smashed, loud and bright Pink exploded in the late-day light Color on the street, joy everywhere That’s when we met her — princess flair Life just shifted gears Right there on the ground Every laugh, every gasp Every beautiful sound I was the keeper of the secret Till the truth hit hard and sweet Pink splashed wide on the pavement Right there at everyone’s feet May’s gonna turn their world around Nothing stays the same From a practice run to a crown They learned her name Riley, little princess Loved before your first cry Wrapped in legacy and laughter Before you met the sky Your mama once was a secret Your daddy didn’t know Some of the best things in life Take their time to show Grace and Trey, hold on tight Every day’s about to spin Upside-down love, sleepless nights And a whole new world you’re in No more secrets, just open arms Midnight tears and morning charm Life smashed open right on the street Pink and joy at everybody’s feet From the keeper of the secret To the truth that finally came All hail the little princess Riley is her name Silver glitter, pink parade Every promise already made Welcome to the world, little one Your story’s only just begun
Behind the story
Why this song exists
“Pink on the Pavement” exists because apparently I've been trusted with baby secrets for more than one generation. When I was pregnant with Grace, finding out a baby's sex before birth was becoming increasingly popular. Bruce and I didn't want to know. We were old school. We wanted that moment when the baby arrived and somebody finally said: It's a boy. Or it's a girl. Then an excited nurse accidentally told me. I was horrified—not because I was having a girl, but because something Bruce and I had specifically chosen to experience together had suddenly been taken away. So I made a decision. I wasn't taking it away from him too. I told Bruce what had happened, promised him I wouldn't tell anyone, and kept the secret. Bruce had children before Grace, but he had never really gotten the opportunity to choose a child's name himself. I wanted him to have that experience. For a boy, he wanted Bert, after the father of his best friend Mike Estes—a man they affectionately called Daddy Bert. I got the middle name. My dad's middle name was Ernest. Bert Ernest. Bert and Ernie. Absolutely not. But since I already knew we weren't having a boy, I could smile, play along and let Bruce enjoy every minute of it. For a girl, Bruce chose Grace after his grandmother. I chose Marie. That name carried another story. Donna Marie was Bruce's aunt and Grace's great-aunt—a woman I knew and loved deeply. She never had children of her own, although I believe she would have been a wonderful mother. Naming our daughter Grace Marie meant she would carry the names and stories of two women from Bruce's family forward: her great-grandmother Grace and her great-aunt Donna Marie. Then Grace grew up. And years later, Grace and Trey trusted me with another baby secret. Riley. Being trusted with that meant more to me than they probably realized. And since everybody had trusted the woman who can actually keep a secret, naturally I decided to have a little fun with them. We had two soccer balls for the reveal. The first exploded in silver. Everybody thought they saw blue. Celebration. Confusion. And then they discovered Grandma had another soccer ball. That one hit the pavement. Pink. Everywhere. And suddenly another generation of our family had its moment. That's why “Pink on the Pavement” exists. It's about Riley. It's about Grace becoming a mother. It's about family names and family stories moving forward. And it's about the strange honor of being trusted with something wonderful before everybody else gets to know. I've learned one practical lesson, though. If you're planning your own fake-out gender reveal: Don't use silver glitter. Use gold.
- Collection
- Birthday & Celebration
- Mood
- Celebratory, personal, bright
- Audience
- Families, friends, and groups celebrating someone they love
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