January 10, 2025

...got my nails done, then walked Belle down Fay.  We were peering into the windows of a closed art gallery when the owner and artist pulled up behind me in her sleek 1960 Plymouth Belvedere.

She exuded a wonderful energy and I was captivated by her and her beautiful work.

She invited me to her Grand Opening that weekend and handed me a flyer for an upcoming art class.

I did what I normally do. I immediately came up with all the reasons and excuses why time, life, and everything else wouldn’t allow it to happen…and I walked away.

All the advice I tell my boys swirled through my head and coursed through my veins..."recognize God’s gifts that surround us...be brave...don't be afraid to fail...live a life well-lived..."

Next year, I’ll be an empty nester.  It was time to seize the day!

Before I reached the corner of her building, I stopped.

After my first session in February I was hooked.  Every Thursday I painted in her studio.  Unfortunately, Spring Break broke the routine and my priorities shifted.  Life got busy, busier and even busier-ier.  I thought I was disciplined enough to paint on my own time.  But it never happened, the paint dried, and the brushes got stored.

Fast forward to July 2026

You probably got a text from me, right before Brad's graduation, announcing this new chapter in my life and asking for inspiration.  I confess, there was a reason I told so many of you.

It was to keep me accountable and committed to this journey.

Thank you to those that answered my call, it forced me to dust off those brushes and somewhere in the process of painting cute dogs, my passion was solidified.

I’m still discovering what kind of artist I am.  I believe that's the whole point of this exercise.

My hope is that each day I find a way to use oil painting to learn something new, discover a little more about myself, to express the things I don’t always have words for, and to use whatever gift God has given me to spread a little joy to others.

So, here I am...Doing my best and letting God do the rest.