The picture of innocence

*Yes, OHMommy really is that classy and that sweet: I should know - we were roomies at BlogHer last year and it was a blast. Lucky for all of you I sweet talked her into guest posting here and she's too darn nice to say no. ..Enjoy!"


On the wall of my aunt's house, in suburban Chicago, hangs a framed picture that makes me smile out loud each time I pass by it.

Pictured is a smiling family of five hand holding hands, drawn by a six year old, seven years ago. In the far distance is a small church. The artist, the baby of the house, included a puffy bubble over his head that reads "Hury wer late agin!"

Awe. Truth will always be told through innocent eyes.

For seven years I have gracefully walked passed that crayon drawing and smiled imagining what my children would innocently draw in the future that I would deem frameable. I envisioned colorful pictures of rainbows over our house and puppies prancing around. I had already picked out the shabby chic frame, in my head, that would hold such a treasure.

I was thrilled when my eldest at the age of three started to take an interest in crayons. I sent him off to preschool with a hug and a kiss every day whispering sweet words in his ear to encourage such sweet artistic visions.


It was a long winter, that year, in which on more than one occasion I, the busy mother of three young children, had forgotten to shave my legs. That, my friends, is a portrait of me with hairy legs.

A solid reminder that truth will always be told through the eyes of the innocent. And yes, this framed picture in our house makes me smile every day.