Saturday, January 22, 2011

Where Do We Go From Here?


It doesn't get any better than this. I swear. These girls are rock stars. They are incredibly smart and open and free and they embrace it all. Everything I put in front of them, they grab it and go full throttle. I am in love. Deep, enduring L.O.V.E.

Today we jumped right in. I had planned to start with another circle and see how their weeks had been and talk a little, but they were so excited when they walked in and they wanted to jump on it. They wanted to know what we were going to DO, so we just DID it. We started by painting some more pages in our journals. I explained that we wanted to get the first layer of paint on all the pages so that we can start to build up our other layers next week. And they went for it. They grabbed the bottles of paint (squealing because I had bought some new colors for today!) and they painted pages and played with color and texture and figured out new ways to use the brushes that I've never even tried and made some amazing discoveries. It was so great to watch them go for it.

While we were waiting for pages to dry I showed them the fabric paints and spray paint I brought with me to decorate their aprons. They loved the stencils and the paint and some of them even decided to use the acrylics and brushes and brayers to design their fabulous aprons. We figured it didn't really matter since most likely we'd never be washing them anyway! I mean after all, that's what they are for--getting MESSY!






After painting for an hour or so, I stopped them so I could explain our "extra special project" (that's what we decided to call the little projects we do each week while we're waiting for paint to dry in the journals.) Today we made worry boxes. I gave them each a wooden box and showed them an example I had made. I painted a layer of orange paint (my favorite color!) and then glued small pieces of tissue paper in a pattern on the box. On each piece of paper I wrote positive words like JOY, BRAVE, KIND, HAPPY, BOLD. The idea is that the worry boxes will be a way, and a place, to sooth their anxieties and fears. The boxes are made to give them comfort and control during stressful moments.
I explained that they can write their worries on the little slips of paper I would give them to put inside the box. By putting their fears in writing, they name their pain and get it out. Let it go. They release it to the doll we would make to put inside the box--the doll would take their worries and care for them and shield them from having to carry that weight. The positive and inspiring words on the outside of the box are the ones they can replace their worries with until they feel more peaceful. My favorite moment of today was when Julianna came to me with her worry box in her hand and said, "Amy, can I ask you a question? If I put my worries in the box, at the end of the day will they be gone?"

Oh, Julianna, I sure hope so. I believe that this box might feel like a safe place to put your hurt and your fear and your anger and that, in this small way, you can find a way to let the bad stuff go...
And last bit of news: My new AMAZING assistant, Courtney, started today. She came up with a brilliant idea to use the leftover flowers from our accessories last week and add them to the boxes. Of course, they loved that idea so we used glue and they added another dimension to the boxes I hadn't thought of--I loved it! Thanks, Courtney!

So I end with the question that started this post, Where do we go from here? How does it get any better than this? I don't know if my heart can expand a single centimeter more than it did today. I am in awe of these girls and their talent and their style and their big hearts. I gave Little Courtney a ride home after class and as she got out of my car she said, "Thanks, Amy, I had so much fun today and I can't wait 'til next week." I can't either, Court, I can't either!

1 comment :

  1. i love this idea! how sweet and what an amazing women you are! you are making a difference in these girls lives!
    BIG hugs and smiles~ jill

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