Easing up

The more I study this photo, the more I am grateful for this weird mixed up life. Not only do I get to travel downtown with this little gal, we have this wonderful arrangement with her grandparents that allows her to spend a couple hours/week trying out dance classes at the premier dance academy in the heart of Chicago. And at the end of the day, every day, I am blessed (truly, I'm not saying this with any sarcasm) to be the parent of this amazing creature who is gorgeous, brilliant, graceful, kind, tenacious, witty, and whose face reflects the qualities of every family member I love, even those who have passed on. It's not often I get the time and space I need to fully appreciate the moment while I'm in it. Luckily I had a photo-and now a sketch-to elongate this moment.