"Its A Rock, Mama."

Gwennie has never been a big drawing fan. Not like Rhayn was. Rhayn would sit for hours drawing. Gwennie? She would sit for about 5 minutes drawing circles in the middle of paper. Eventually she started drawing lines coming from the under side of the circle. These were dubbed "jellyfish" while her cousin called the same sort of picture her "octopus". Once in a great while, the "jellyfish" would get eyes. Sometimes it was actually a sun (the legs would pop out from all directions). There was even the day she drew a "Q" and was so excited about it (she drew them on everything for about a week). But months went by with little progression.

I decided I would not push drawing on her. Its not her thing. She doesn't enjoy it, I will not make her do it. I was sad. I have fond memories of sitting for long periods of time with Rhayn drawing and coloring and hearing stories about her pictures. But Gwennie and I can do other things. Its fine.

Then two nights ago, she did it. She was sitting there, pen in hand and drawing what I assumed were going to be 30 "jellyfish" of various sizes. She brought the picture over to me, her face beaming with pride. "Its the family" she said simply. And I looked. And it was. There were four people, all ranging in size (the way we do.) The people were crude, but recognizable as people.

The first family picture.

She drew another "family" and this time, she drew Daddy first, then started Mommy, and noticed that Daddy didn't have arms. She drew arms for him, then hair, and finally a mouth. She wanted to add a nose, but couldn't quite figure it out.

Third Family portrait, complete with arms, mouths and hair.

I was so enthralled I sat and watched her draw the second and third picture. I asked her questions about the things she was drawing. Next to her daddy she drew a circle, and said it was "A rock for him to kick." I looked at her blankly, a rock? for him to kick? I am really curious if that is what she thinks we are saying when we say "Iraq." I mean, say it out loud. The "I" is pretty quiet and we know from Rhayn that kids don't always here a soft first syllable (she called guitars, "tars" for a very long time.)

"A rock."
(Notice in the first family picture, on purple paper, there is a rock next to the largest person. Yup, that is Daddy and his rock.)

I have always felt that art is an insight into a child's mind. This was a revelation to me. She really has no idea where Daddy was or why. She understands that he is "at work" because she tells people that is where her daddy is. She will volunteer this information to anyone willing to listen. I don't think they have any idea how heartbreaking it is to hear your child telling people that her daddy is "at work" when you know that it is her way of saying how much she misses him, and how proud of him she is in her own sweet little way.

One thing that I noticed while watching her draw is that she switches hands. She drew the big circles with her right hand, then switched to her left to add details. She hasn't decided if she is a lefty or a righty. You know I am hoping for a lefty (as I am one.) Right now it looks like she will have equal use of both hands, which is a very nice thing (I can do most things with either hand.)