Ice Cream Truck

When I/we remain open, life's lessons can be received in unexpected ways.  The tricky part is, often, remaining open.  It seems as I get older I feel the pull to be in charge of my life.   It's easy to get hung up on what my next action will be that the present moment is often taken for granted.  When, in reality, all we have is the present moment.  Children live in the present moment.  That's all they know. You are able to find multiple articles written about the value of thinking/being like a child.

I watched my very busy, very talkative 2 year old GRANDdaughter, Lila, 2 days last week and all week because daycare was closed.  She is so funny and so dang cute!  I pride myself in knowing that when I am with any of my GRANDchildren I am there 100%.  This week I encountered a fork in the road.  You see the artist side of me is also 100% committed.  I am diligent to be in my studio, every weekday, creating art in one way or another.  

Of course, there was no doubt in my mind I was going to be spend my time with Lila yet, honestly, there was a little pity party starting to rumble inside.  Then... a light bulb went off...  At my kitchen table I sat Lila up with a little easel and I worked on a drawing for the Smile Project.  After about an hour she exclaimed "Ta-Ta!" at what she had accomplished.  I realized I was blessed with the best of both worlds.

    

On our second day together I decided to try it again.  

YES... she wanted to paint.   I could see that she was comfortable with the markers and crayons so I decided to bring out the acrylic paints.  OMGoodness!  She LOVED it!

Here's a very short video where you can watch and listen to her.

Listen near the end and you will hear her title the piece.

After adding several more layers she completed her piece 

and is ready to give it to her Mom and Dad.

So I asked, "Lila, would you like to do some plain air drawing?"

She said, Yes!"

After a short while of her drawing with markers and crayons I reached into the chiminea and grabbed some charcoal.  At first she didn't seem to like that her fingers got dirty yet the art won over and she surrendered.

Did I mention... I love being a GRANDma,