MOI SON, THE ARTISTE!

While going through the adoption journey in the past couple of years, we were exposed to a variety of children. Usually, the brief bios that came with their photos would try to share something of the children's interests. One day, I realized that every single child was being described as a natural artist! To wit, nearly all the bios mentioned that the child had an interest in art -- in drawing, painting, et al!

Well, how can everybody be a Picasso, Moi thought? I delved deeper into the matter and thus realized that many of the children whose profiles I was perusing lived in group homes or orphanages...where there often aren't enough caretakers to give as much attention to each child. And what is one of the opiates convenient for enabling children to be left on their own? Coloring pencils and paper, of course! Not quite as bad as plunking the children in front of a TV or a horror movie (happens, too) but done often enough...indeed, one of the tragedies of orphanhood is how the child's true interests may never be recognized and developed...

Thus, we as prospective parents learned to take the phrase "talented at art" with a bucket of salt. So imagine our delight to realize that Michael actually has immense natural talent. Hah! I'm writing this post, as a matter of fact, after just reading an email from his art teacher who was showing his *altered book* project (containing drawings) to the school principal and various faculty members! I preen on moi son's behalf as I emphasize that the word "incredible!" was used about moi son...!

Poetic justice! To have an artist-son given my and hubby's life-long interest in the arts (and, yes, I'm one of those who write poems only because I can't make paintings...)

I've already emailed the hubby, wondering if we should start using Michael's new nickname "Jesus"....

As I await the hubby's reply -- might be a long wait as it'll take him a while to stop rolling his eyes -- let Moi further entertain you please with a photo of the next Picasso in ... DISNEYLAND! Here he is from last weekend with Juliana, his tutor/translator; prior to seeing Juliana off to her return to Colombia viz LAX, we stopped off to see Mickey Mouse and friends. Naturally, he has on another lovely white shirt as we partook of the breakfast buffet at the Disneyland Hotel: