best gift/worst gift

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a great Christmas! We did - even ventured far enough north to find some snow! The kids were so excited - they eagerly scraped together snowballs to fling at each other, even though there was less than an inch of the white stuff on the ground. And of course they were excited to see grandparents, relatives, and a bunch of presents under the tree.

My hubby loves to read books, so he feels quite safe in a bookstore. In fact, I have a hard time remembering a birthday or Christmas where I did NOT get a book from him. He's pretty good about paying attention to the books I keep fingering in the stores - early on in our dating years he bought me the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe. I read the entire thing, cover to cover, and loved it. We still dig it out on Halloween to read "The Raven" or "The Bells." 

This year was no exception to the book trend. In fact, he got me the best gift ever, which ironically is also the worst gift ever. A sketchbook. A blank sketchbook. So much potential, so many ideas to put down, but where to start? I can't wait to fill it - but with what? I don't think there's anything quite so intimidating as an empty page. Absolutely terrifying. Putting that first mark on the paper must be similar to what a baby feels taking her first step. Not sure how it'll land, or what direction she's headed, but it's forward movement. Awkward, unsure, but soon enough, she's dancing! Pirouettes, jigs, and leaps all across the page. Sure, there's a tumble here and there, but that's part of learning. Laugh at the stumbles, breathe in the colors and sing with the lyrical lines. The best gift is a new page! 

A new year is a new page - what will be painted in 2013? I'm going to try to not be afraid of starting afresh, no fears of mucking it up (because I know it's inevitable!). The Artist is guiding me as I paint each day. He turns my mistakes into something great! I just have to be brave enough to make the first mark!