Patrick's Artwork

Next week Patrick will complete his first year of preschool. With the end of the year fast approaching we are both experiencing mixed feelings. While he will certainly miss his friends and teachers I think he’s looking forward to time at the beach and local playgrounds. I too am looking forward to a little more freedom in our schedule, but among other things, I am going to miss the excitement of opening his backpack each afternoon and pulling out his artwork.  Over the last 9 months we have pulled out cars, trains, bugs, candy canes, snakes, feathers, sail boats, dinosaurs, teddy bears and at least 100 or so other drawings, paintings and random treasures. While I haven’t kept them all, I do have a small collection of my favorites.

15 years ago I would have rolled my eyes at my own mother, “Mom, why do you still have this watercolor painting I did 2 years ago?” And now her words are coming back to me, “One day you’ll understand.” She was right. Even though Patrick may no longer be excited about any particular piece of artwork, at one point he reached deep down into his camouflage backpack, eyes wide open, about to burst with excitement, pulled out his masterpiece and rushed through an explanation of why he carefully chose each color, how he put those colors together and the way he felt when one of his teachers told him they liked what he had made. Remembering those moments and how proud he was makes me cherish each piece even more.



So now that school is out, my summer project is to find frames for my favorite pieces and hang them throughout the house….just in time to start putting aside my favorites from next years collection. What do you do with the artwork your kids bring home?
<><>

I guess since this post is all about Patrick's artwork
it's only fitting all the pictures are of the girls.

James 1:19-25
¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.


²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.