The Artists...

Oh it's a great day for blogging along and it's a great day for singing a song!!  Today, I am feeling good...  Every time I say that, I think of Jennifer Hudson advertising (in song) for Weight Watchers.  Our minds have trap doors ... what we see often enough gets locked away only to appear at various and sundry times when we least expect it.  You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with ____________.  Oh come on, you know the jingle ... Pepsodent!

Last week, my son emailed me to tell me that my grandsons were featuring their art at the Providence Art Show and wondered if I wanted to attend.  Want to???  Wild horses couldn't keep me from attending!  It gave me something to look forward to and by the time it got to yesterday morning, I was chomping at the bit to get in the car and get moving!  Sometimes, I think, I get too complacent and when my body hurts -- I'd rather curl up in a fetal position and sleep.  Not good for maintaining stamina or mental health for sure!  So ... rather than lick my wounds, I get READY and GO!

The art show started at 6:30 last night -- we pulled up to the house where my grandsons reside and good grief (!), around the corner of the house flew Nicholas, the Green Lantern!  He flung himself on the ground, looking up to see if we were watching.  I laughed scooping him up off the soggy grass giving him hugs and kisses.  Nicholas wiped his face and giggled, taking my hand and leading us to the front door.  Looking back, he said, "Come on, Grandpa!"  We were greeted warmly by the whole crew and settled in for some conversation before heading out.

Zachary and Nicholas were hyped up for the art show and it wasn't long before they got me involved in their antics.  Angie had a stopwatch and timed us as we raced (in the house, mind you).  I won the first race (mainly because I went the opposite direction the boys went and they ran into each other!) but they won the next several.  Don't you just love being a big kid sometimes?!

We all jumped in the van and headed to the school.  Angie substitutes at the school and there were kids running up to her for hugs and to say "hi" ... the boys were greeting friends and slipping and sliding down the halls.  We made our way to the auditorium to listen to the string band play and the choir sing.  The kids were so cute playing their violins and cellos ... you could sure tell you were in Texas ... good ho-down music!!  The boys waited with impatience for the doors of the gymnasium to open.

I almost felt like I was back at Walmart on Black Friday.  As the doors opened, the crowd pushed it's way in to see what their children had created.  I was quite unprepared for the way the art was displayed ... I felt like I was at a real art show downtown McKinney!  Nicholas took my hand and led me to his picture and Zachary grabbed Michael's hand to show him his.  Divide and conquer?  (smile)  The boys proudly presented their artwork to us and believe me, there was no way we were leaving without purchasing their creations.  Looking into their eyes, I saw how proud they were.  Looking into their hearts, I felt their passion for color and creativity.

Art packaged and under our arms, we decided to get some lemonade before heading back to the van.  The boys were in their element.  They hugged on friends and posed for photos (they are used to Grandma carrying a camera with her wherever she goes!).  My grandsons are well adjusted and happy boys ... there are times I wish I could keep them eight and six yet I know that the circle of life must continue and they, too, must walk this road of life.

Michael and I drove home feeling very blessed.  Our love banks had been filled by two little boys and we had waves of memories floating through our heads.  Life is quite simple, isn't it when you come right down to it.  It's about family and making our days count for something besides "I, me, mine."  It's not about the car you drive or the house you live in ... it's about transportation and the people inside that house.  Life is for the living and it's in the living that we make our marks on the lives of others!

Happiness is about inner peace ... it's a bright shining aura that encompasses our entire being.  It's that bit of a glow we have when we go out into the world.  It's the little things we do (or don't do) that have lasting effects one at a time.  Family is about relationships -- it's about loving those around us when we don't feel like it (real love IS a choice, you know, not just a feeling), it's about sharing our days and nights believing that God is control.  It's making someone's life easier, not harder.  It's taking time to notice when something's amiss and saying I'm sorry more often.

As for you, my Readers, you are a bright spot in my day ... sending love and praying for you holds a special place in my heart.  I hope that your day is filled with family - for better or worse!