Drawing Mickey

Madison actually drew this freehanded, not tracing.  It was a step-by-step process, pretty much exactly what we did when we were at the Art of Animation Resort at Disney.  Madison got a "How to Draw Disney Characters" book for Christmas, so we started this morning with the basics:  Mickey Mouse.  After drawing out our characters, we then colored them in, and signed our names.  And Madison reminded Daddy of the most important part:  the stars!  That's what the animator told us to do down at Disney just for fun, and Madison remembered.  So we added little stars around our drawings!

This was how we started out the morning, but Daddy did have to get going to work shortly afterwards. Mommy and Madison joined me at the office a little later, where Madison spent the rest of the day pretty much watching "Super Hero Squad."  The category of "your favorite super hero" is a big one for Daddy - so he asked Madison the big question.  Currently, her favorite is none other than...

The Silver Surfer!  Okay, so that's seriously not my first choice, but she seems to like the look of the guy.  And the surfboard is pretty cool too, of course.  Which reminds me, for most of the day around the office, Madison's mode of transportation was a street luge.  Okay, so it's probably got some other function and not really a street luge.  But the thing looks just like one, and Madison sprawled out on it to let Daddy push her up and down the hallway.  Naturally, she loved it.  We'll have to get some photos of that tomorrow - maybe even a movie.

Speaking of movies, we did film one of those movies today.  It's one with the upside down faces?  You know the kind?  If not, I'll have to post a picture of that as well.  It's a bit ridiculous, and it is amazing that here I am many hours later, still sore from the filming!  Just keeping your neck up is a major undertaking!

Tonight, we got home late as a family, and made ourselves a Tombstone pizza.  Madison went to bed shortly after that, and Mommy and Daddy concluded the night by watching romantic comedy #2 of the new season.  With Valentine's Day coming up, we've shifted from Christmas to Valentine's Day.  Throw in some China-themed movies from time to time with the Chinese New Year coming up too.  Anyway, tonight's movie was "Dave," which is one of my favorites.  Romantic comedy #1 was "Beautician and the Beast," which is another favorite too.

It was a good day today, although pretty cold outside.  We did stay indoors for most of the time, and Daddy did get some new messages written for our circus theme coming up in February.  We even got a ringmaster outfit in the mail this afternoon.  But tomorrow we'll focus on January's series a little more, which is based on nothing but recent family movies.  Sunday's message is dedicated to "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," which was a really moving movie.  Here's a brief overview of the service, as we turn in for the night here:

     Like all stories, this begins with a dream.   Unfortunately, it is a shattered dream for Jim and Cindy Green, who desperately want to have a child.  Faced with bad news, they refuse to move on.  That’s when something sudden happens, something kind of miraculous:  his name is Timothy Green.

     When he shows up at their door, their lives are transformed.  They grow spiritually as the story unfolds, and so do we.  One early lesson is this:  it is never too late to give up on your dreams.  The important thing is to keep planting those seeds, and keep working and dreaming for the future.
     As Timothy spends time with his new parents, things don’t always go perfectly.  After some embarrassing tryouts with the soccer team, his coach asks Timothy why he’s still smiling.  He replies, “I can only get better.”
     It’s true for all of us: we can only get better!  Later in the story, Jim and Cindy admit if they’d have it all to do again, they’d still make mistakes – new mistakes!  You see, they understand they can’t be perfect, because none of us can.  The important thing for all of us is to learn from mistakes and move on.  Jim and Cindy come to realize that as they watch over Timothy, they don’t really expect him to be perfect either.  They just want to do all they can to make his childhood perfect.

     Throughout the story of Timothy Green, we see an amazing boy.  We watch as he gives of himself, helping and showing others the way to use their God-given abilities.  In fact, everyone he touches grows and blossoms.  New ideas form, spirits are lifted, and hope is reborn.  It’s something God expects from all of us:  He wants each of us to share these same gifts with one another. 
     As we grow together, it certainly takes sacrifice to give and help others, but that’s what we are called to do.  And it’s the only way that each of us can truly blossom into what He has called us to be.

“So the one who plants is not important. The one who waters is not important. It is God who makes things grow. He is the One who is important.”  1 Corinthians 3:7 NIrV