Li'l Punkin'

Where do you look first, last, and the longest?

It's the eyes, right?  Why is that?  My husband and I have the privilege of taking care of the infants and toddlers in our church for an hour each week.   And I've noticed that even a baby of a few weeks old knows that it's all about the eyes!  They instinctively stare directly into their caregiver's eyes.

As I was scrutinizing each square inch of this painting, I realized I kept going back to the eyes.  Not fair that one square inch should demand so much attention!  I worked really hard those pumpkins and that hay and those stripes on his shirt! 

Once I decided that I'd done the best I could on my own, I took it to my painting mentor.  She admired it, complimented this and that, praised things that I'd done well... Then politely furrowed her brow and pursed her lips... I knew that I was about to learn what tiny (or huge) revision I needed to make if I wanted this painting to be "right."  Somehow, I knew it wouldn't have anything to do with the pumpkins, the hay, the little clothes... "Let's see if we can scoot that eye over a little bit."   Oh, how I love her for seeing what I miss and gently guiding me to get it right!  (But, that love arrives after a second or two of an internal scream of "Nooooooo!" that only comes out as a small sigh followed by, "Yeah, I see it now.  You're right."

And, in the end... look at those sweet little eyes.  Those are his momma's eyes.  Oh, how I loved those big brown eyes when I held, loved, and played with my first little neice!  I'm glad this "Li'l Punkin'" got his momma's eyes.