Art Class Wednesday

Today was wonderful. Went to art class and painted and learned and laughed and ate. Today, each of the ladies in our class brought a food native to their home country, so we had potato balls (I call them that because I cannot pronounce, much less spell their real name) with cilantro parsley dip, poppy seed cake from Croatia,  a dip of beans and ground turkey from Turkey, Banana chips from Columbia, fruit and cheese from Plano, and Pineapple Bundt cake, which came from my kitchen. It is just a joy to see the different foods that come together from the ladies in our class. What a sweet time as each of us explains our dish and tells how it might be served in their country. One of our ladies is going home to Turkey for 5 months, so we will miss DeMar. Most of us in the class have been together for the last 3 years, some a little longer. We have bonded so much, that when one of us is gone, it is just not the same. We laugh at our mistakes, encourage each other when a painting is finished and help each other pick out the appropriate frames. This has become a treasured time in my life. Not just for the painting, but also for the friendships which have been such a blessing. We are all from diverse backgrounds, but when we are there for the two hours, it is as though we have grown up together. We have laughed together, cried at different times from circumstances with our children, or families. This is indeed a special gift to my life. Just like church, we all have our places we sit each week. Our teacher, Rosie, is not only our art teacher, but a precious friend who we hold in high esteem. She is just amazing. Thank you Rosie for sharing your talents and your time to give so many the pleasure of learning how to put down on paper, in color, the thoughts that are in our hearts. What a treasure, as I am now able to walk through my house and look at pictures that I have painted. Each one holds a memory of class time with these women who have become an important part of my life.