Recent Smiles

This letter from Lance. He wrote it in August and hand-delivered it last week. It gave me several hearty chuckles and I've smiled many times, just thinking about it since then. Lance is beyond smart and possesses a sense of humor unrivaled by most people I know.  Also, Lance and I are a lot a like.  I like old-fashioned letters and Lance does, too.  In this letter he talks about some things that I've given a lot of thought to myself in recent months.  It was neat to know we were thinking about the same things at the same time.

This is the sleeve from my Election Day Starbucks last November. I stuck on my 'I Voted' sticker that night because they just seemed to belong together. It has been on my desk since then and I smile every time I see it.

This is a bulletin from my church in Texas.  It would be an understatement to say that I feel bittersweet looking at it.  I miss everyone and everything there so much; the energy, the atmosphere, the discussions, the plans.  It's unlike anything I've experienced any where else.  I'm happy and sad when I think about it.

My new wine cork collection.  That one on the top -- The Prisoner -- was especially good.  I like examining these corks.  Some have intricate artwork.  I like those the best. One might wonder why anyone would care what is on a wine bottle cork.  I don't.  I had the pleasure of meeting a few wine makers this summer.  They're interesting people and maybe a tiny bit insane.  Anyone who spends that much time with grapes has to be.  But they love those grapes.  They know them from start to finish. They create wines with those grapes and put immense effort into them.  It's understandable that the cork should reflect that effort and attention.

This little lady.  I don't even remember where I got her but I like her.  She sits on top of my jewelry box and most of the time I don't think about her.  But when I do, I smile and feel a bit better about life.

This is Samuel's latest artwork.  It's a Wild Thing.  My kids go to an incredible school.  The teachers really do give it their all.  The art teacher is teaching my kids about Klimt, O'Keefe, Van Gogh and who knows what else.  She incorporates all types of media into her lessons.  The kids have come home with ceramic projects that they saw through from a mound of wet clay to the kiln.  They know what pastels, watercolors and charcoal are -- all because of this teacher.  She fosters creativity and inspires originality.  I love her and I've barely met her. She and the artwork my children make with her make me smile.

So that's what I'm smiling about lately.  How about you?