Half a goat is better than none.

Beginning of a painting.  

Hello again.

Hope everyone's summer is going well.  

Life here at Sherrill Studios is starting to gear up again.

I have spent the last few weeks worrying about some things that made it impossible for me to paint.  Sometimes it happens that way.  I hit those places in my brain that make it impossible to paint.  

But, I seem to be letting up on the concerns and

painting is coming a little easier.  
Yesterday, I started the day out with this lovely goat.
I know that he has some issues, but I think he has possibilities.
So...half a goat...

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If you remember, in the last blog I pointed out that we needed to make memories with and for our family & friends.
I had that opportunity come up for me in this last week.
I had it in spades.

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A very, very long time ago....
in a land far, far away....
I went to high school with (along with a few other hundred people) Scott Smith & LaRhonda Davis.  They married soon after Wayne & I did and started having children right off the bat.
Wayne and I...not so much.  We had to wait a while.

I learned so much from watching them parent.
Things that I stored up for when I had a child.
We lived on the north end of the state and they lived in Kokomo,
but we socialized when we came to visit.
We played cards and hung out.
Had a great time.
Brandon was born and it was just the best.
I became his self proclaimed GODmother.

Fast forward...10 years or so.
We each had two kids and all the problems & joys that come with them.
I was still learning parenting skills from watching the Smiths.
Their children were older than ours, so they met & conquered situations that I would have to deal with later.

Fast forward again...
As sometimes happens (happened to me...) the Smiths ended their relationship with a divorce.  Their boys have grown up to be fine young men with families of their own.  I am proud of them both.

This last weekend Brandon, Scott & Brandon's son Kaiden
came to visit from the southern states.
Scott's mother is ill & they came to see her in the.  
I couldn't wait to see Brandon & meet his son.

Kaiden and his dad shooting us in the pool.
He wouldn't get in.  He said it was too deep.

     

I invited them over for pool time and to meet Leia.
Leia & Kaiden are only a month apart, so we thought they would hit it off.
And they did.
  We had one of Leia's favorite meals, hot dogs, cheesy poofs & chocolate milk after we got out of the pool.

He drank TWO glasses of chocolate milk.

He looks just like his dad did when he was little...

I enjoyed this visit SO MUCH.
During the time that they were here
I was able to take some three generation photos.
Again, Scott & Ronnie gave me a glimpse into what I hope will be my future.
What did I see?
I saw a comfort level that I have not yet achieved.
I saw two divorced adults treating each other with respect & dignity.
Not because they had to, but because that is what you do for your kids.
They gave me hope.

Brandon, Kainden & Scott Smith
Three Generations

Brandon, Kaiden & Ronnie
Three generations

 What a wonderful visit.
Family, in the end, is everything, isn't it?
That is what makes us strong, individually & as part of a group.  
It's where we go when times are hard.
It's who we celebrate with.
It gives us our sense of self.

Thank you for reading.
I'll see you all again, soon.