Tiny Teachers

There is always joy in a child's eye - shining, twinkling, glowing. Sometimes it's more noticeable with a fresh snow blanketing the neighborhood - for a chid loves snow for the snowman. Sometimes its more noticeable when wearing a princess gown to breakfast - for who is more pretty than the two-year-old twirling through the kitchen in the yellow gown from Beauty and the Beast? Little children know how to live.

I've been reflecting on several lessons from the tiniest of teachers this week:

• Kiss hard. Put everything you have into it. Addy is two. She kisses so hard that it knocks you off balance. Everyone should kiss like that.
• Sometimes its better to just leave the gloves inside. In his rush to make it into the snow, three year old Oliver did not have time for gloves. His snow-cat was just as lovely, the snow tasted just as delicious. Be spontaneous.  
• Wonder at small things. To Madeleine, there is nothing in the world more exciting than the train coming to the train station. Enjoy little moments. 
• Dance.  & do take your notes from little Amaya in the video. 

Lost in a dream.

I get lost in projects. Give me a pencil and some headphones - it'll be seven hours before I come back into the "real world." Give me a story to write about, I may never go to bed. These ideas take a hold in pockets of my mind, burrowing and growing and inspiring until it has a life of its own - and just needs someone to give it form.

I recently had the idea to repurpose my second blog, the one chronicling my dream to write and illustrate a novel, into more of a website. I could have asked someone to help - but the idea struck too quickly. Before I knew it, I was swimming in code and html (with which I had limited experience) and burning through the wee hours of the morning to make my vision take form.

For me - these ideas and dreams are a magical simplicity. They teach me about who I am and who I can be. It's nice to get lost in a dream every once in a while, and I admit I've been doing it quite often. Please though - take a look at my new site & recent magical simplicity. 

Exquisite creatures.

I study beauty. Beauty in people, beauty in places, beauty in the sky and the clouds and the sun. People are the most exquisite creatures. As a species, we are so similar and yet how different, as well. A perfect example? My younger twin siblings: Jack is a boy, Colleen a girl. Jack is 6 feet tall, Colleen is 5 foot 3. Jack - blonde hair, Colleen brown. Jack blue eyes, Colleen brown. Jack right handed, Colleen left. Jack left brained, Colleen right. Jack extremely disciplined, Colleen a free spirit. Born on the same day, at the same time, from the same parents. Yet two exquisitely unique people.

I have a passion for people. I love to see their smiles, to watch their faces, to understand what makes them happy. & I have such a deep admiration for those who are sad, because sadness can be consuming. Yet - it doesn't always consume. The strongest people I know have seen the most torment and also experienced the most happiness. They are beautiful.

There is a story to every person. Each body you pass in the street. Each smiling stranger that greets you good morning at the corner. Every co-worker who glances and nods. We are the most exquisite creatures. Have you ever noticed?

Authentic Australian

My neighbor is from Australia. She has an accent. She kisses us on the cheek when we greet. She cooks authentic Australian cuisine. She loves to use the word lovely. Her husband is American. He enjoys a good cup of tea. Their son is adorable - he has almond shaped eyes.

They invited us to dinner one night. We had lots of wine and vegetarian perfection. The conversation rolled out like a well-rehearsed play. & there was one thing that stuck me about this authentic Australian woman and her American husband and their almond-shape eyed son:

They care.

They care to invite three 22 year-old girls over to dinner. They care about our lives. They care about who we are and what we have going on. They care about what makes us happy and what makes us sad. They care that we are enjoying ourselves and that we are doing well. They care to help, they care to smile. They care to cook and they care to share.

They invited us to dinner, but more than that - they invited us into their life. & it was at that moment that it dawned on me: relationships are the most magical simplicity. A glass of wine, a warm meal and a warmer smile: authentic australian cuisine can open your eyes to life's simple magic. 

A kiss

There is so much magic behind a kiss: the warmth, the love, the wave of emotion that spreads from your lips through your entire body and resonates warmly at the heart. I've never really considered it before, but perhaps a kiss is the world's most magical simplicity.

Mashable caught a few truly great ones this year.
The top 10 kisses of 2012, It will warm your heart. 

Christmastime is near..

 It's so magical at our apartment! We spent the weekend decorating both the inside and out. Christmas music streaming and the two best roommates by my side.

Twinkling lights wrap around the railings of our thirty seven steps and outline the porch, guiding the way to our shining tree as it stands perfectly in the middle window.

It is a sight to see! Warms the heart and adds a bit of sparkle to my eyes. The start to a very merry Christmas.

Once upon a time: a year later

This Thanksgiving Weekend there is so much to be thankful for, but today I would like to focus on one item on my list.

You may remember about a year ago, as a senior in college with many reasons to avoid growing up, I traded my crayons and coloring books for a sharpie in my day planner. Thanksgiving weekend, 2011 I told you all I was going to write and illustrate a fairy tale.

So here is my one year check-in. The fairy tale lives on.  Actually, it has its own blog. I would love to share the adventure with you.