We are once again at the family art conference that we’ve gone to for three years now. And it continues to be a magical experience for us all. Most of the people here have been coming for years and we’ve finally been here enough that I’m starting to feel like I know people and am known by others.
This year Hal got to join the Young Artists group instead of the nursery. Technically you are supposed to have completed Kindergarten but that’s a loose rule and “they” felt he was ready. He’s having a blast. According to his big brother, he’s quite the disruption. Big brother seemed surprised when I told him I had received the same report about him by big sister the first year we were here.
Jane is taking Landscape Painting with acrylics. She now loves to paint and is doing remarkably well. My husband is trying his hand at Digital Photography and, while he claimed earlier in the day yesterday to dislike it as an art form, is now enjoying himself immensely. I’m doing Stained Glass and once again managed to pick an overly ambitious project. And once again, with a wonderful and supportive teacher, I’m pulling it off fairly well. Although I’m having to put in some extra hours outside of class to get it done!
The big story of the week so far though has been Daryl. Daryl has fallen in love with a charming three year old girl named Mia. He is smitten. And I mean that in the healthy, he’s-going-to-make-an-awesome-daddy-one-day kind of way not the man-that’s-kind-of-creepy way. He plays with her and takes care of her like he’s never done for his own little brother.
When Mia loses her sword (again) after slaying the mighty dragon, he tells her to climb to safety in the covered wagon (where monsters, including dragons, apparently can’t go) and then, after making sure she is safe, goes and retrieves another imaginary sword to slay yet another mighty dragon.
When she falls down, he’s right there, making sure she’s ok and picking her up again.
When she decides to take off her shoes on the wood chip covered playground, he carries her on his back so her nice little white socks don’t get dirty.
When she wanders over to said playground during the outdoor worship service, he follows her to keep an eye on her, carefully watching her when a group of teenagers from a different camp invade the space.
And during musical chairs, when she falls down as everyone scrambles for a chair, he puts his hand on a chair and calls to her to come take it, thereby being out himself but preserving her participation in the game.
He’s been simply charming. And now everyone thinks he’s an amazingly sweet kid. Which I suppose he is… just not all the time. And not typically with his own siblings.
My three earlier posts this week were scheduled before we left. I’ve had very limited time here, my days filled with many wonderful things. This one is just a light brushstroke but I hope to find some time later today to blog about the deeper things that come from being here and being fully an artist for one brief week that I can share in the morning.
Until then, I encourage you to break out of your box today. Try something radically new! It does wonders for your psyche.
mybrightspots 