Painting #3

I am very happy with my third painting. Not because of the subject, although she obviously has significant meaning for me, but because its a really good painting. I love the scale, composition, palette, the use of words/lettering and the tiling background. I see so much of my "designer-y" self in this painting. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of this piece and my instructor Leslie was great in helping me think about different options as as I was getting started. Lauren seemed to love it also.

Various Good News Items

1. Received a gift certificate from the man I love for a massage, facial, and pedicure as a mother's day gift. WOO-HOO!

2. Used the Bed, Bath & Beyond 20% off coupon to get $100 OFF of our new Dyson ball vacuum cleaner! WOO-HOO!

3. Finally got my haircut for the summer -- a nice 2 inches off! YAY!

4. Found a home for my mom's dog Taco. HE is the one that gave me ringworm, but the family that is adopting him doesn't care and has spoken to our vet and still wants to take him! He leaves us on Thursday! (Okay, I admit I got attached to him, he's so incredibly sweet.)

5. Bitty is FATTER and more affectionate than ever!

6. And the BEST news of all........ one of Lauren's poems was selected as one of "high merit and chosen for publication" by the Creative Communications Poets Contest!! CONGRATS Lauren!

Here is her poem she submitted:

Revelation

So here the weary battle rages on
And slowly I am losing all my hope
For I have yet to see a ray of dawn
As darkness coils 'round my neck like rope

The walls are crumbling now to blackest ash
Eternal standing fortresses in dust
The enemy has climbed far up the pass
Their numbers climbing all the while thus

Now soldiers that were once fighting with me
Have turned and raised their weapons to rebel
The blood a lake that laps against their feet
An army that was loosed from deepest Hell

But I know this: the battle has been won
I stand by my Creator's side when done

My Daughter and Me

On mother's day, Danny took Michael with him to go spend the day with Danny's mom at a family picnic in VA. That left Lauren and me to ourselves. What bliss! We could not remember the last time it was just us all day.

We began our day with a long walk with the dogs. Got ready for church and on our way, Lauren treated me to breakfast at Waffle House. We giggled at the sight of how over dressed we were for the meal in our church clothes. Since we were so early for church, we decided to hit the Target to do some shopping. She bought gifts for friends upcoming birthdays. I bought shampoo and thank you cards.

We praised and worshipped God together and held hands during prayer. We confessed we fell asleep during the same prayer. We ate leftovers for lunch. She gave me four small paintings she did that were her own rendition of Rothkos and they are lovely. I know this was deeply meaningful and thoughtful of her. We lounged about during the afternoon while I finished my book and she did some homework and drew.

We researched sandals online that she needed for her costume for an upcoming Anime convention. We headed to Belk and then Kmart and she found what she needed. We returned home and scrounged up the rest of the leftovers for dinner and ate while watching TV. We talked a lot. SHE talked a lot. It was good to be her mother and it was good for her to be my daughter.

My perfect mother's day ended with us getting into an argument. Of course. But no matter, it was the best mother's day for me.