Patients, Painting and the Sniffles

Yesterday I started volunteering in the children’s ward at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. Let me start off by saying, it was everything I thought it would be and more! I didn’t realize how much I missed teaching art and working with kids! I’ll be going up there once a month to do art projects with some of the patients working alongside other ladies from the Jr. League.

I pulled some of my favorite lesson plans and decided to start off with an easy project that yields beautiful results. We used Kandinsky‘s Squares and Concentric Rings and Color Study as our inspiration and let the kids go from there. I was painting with a little boy in his hospital room and, at one point, he turned to his mom and said, “I think we should frame this for my room.” His mom replied “No, I want it in my office.” They went back and forth as to where to hang his artwork. He was so proud of his work and I loved getting to visit with the two of them.



It’s crazy to think OLOL is one of six hospitals in the state offering child life services. It’s considered an expense and the funding just isn’t there for most hospitals. This incredible staff helps children and their families understand all the “doctor talk” during their stay at the hospital. I was able to see the benefits of this program yesterday…lots of smiles, laughter, a brief escape, grateful parents, an indoor playground, tons of toys and a wall of movies.

Did I mention they have an INCREDIBLE staff…cause they really do!!!

In other news, William got his first case of the sniffles. I know there is nothing I can do but it’s just so pitiful when he can’t breathe through his nose. He wants to suck on that paci so bad and realizes, after a few seconds, he can’t breathe! Sniffles, it’s time to go home!

Really hoping we’re back together again for the weekend!

love,
lauren