So I want to write and tell you all the new things. So many. I am so, so, so, tired. But for any of you following the progress, I want to let you know what is going on. But for the record, i might not reread this and check for typos or if this makes any sense. I have been focused on two things. The kids and the gallery. I make sure there is plenty of kids food in the house. I make sure that they have clean clothes. I make sure they get showers...pretty often. I made sure Sophie had new shoes for her Valentine's outfit. i made sure when i picked them up I had cards and bears and chocolate. (ok, withthe pms, perhaps the chocolate had other purposes.) For the business I got the bank account, oh lord thank you I got the bank account. And I had to be a bitch to do it. pardon the french, but sometimes you gotta get mean to get what you want. I was kinda proud of myself for that one actually. I called the fire alarm people. the security system people come tomorrow. I have exit signs. I have tables. I have stools. I have an almost finished office. I have my certificate of incorporation. I am almost done with complying with everything my business ispector wants. i have called back the moms who left messages. I have had an article written about me in the AJC. That I totally forgot to get because I was working 12 hours on Sunday and totally forgot I had an aticle aboutr me in the Living section. Anyone that saw it feel free to mail me a copy. I ordered advertising today. I will do another ad tomorrow. I will do an html email tonite and send it out to everyone whom I have ever worked with, painted for, been friends with or other. Basically if your email address is in my outlook, you are getting and invite to my opening. I will find all the local mother's groups and send one to them as well. So yeah, busy. And I still need to get my cash register on Monday, set up a merchant account, get quickbooks, set up my sales tax account, set up my irs tax payment account, find an accoutant, pay my lawyer, get my back porch redone, hang the art, get the other artist's art in her, finish up all the detail decoration, by more furniture and display furniture and buy art supplies. And the other billion things I am not thinking of. All by next Sat. Soooo. the point of all this is that I have neglected a few other things. The dogs went a meal and a half without eating because I had forgotten to buy dogfood. But thos cunning dogs managed to figure things out when they opened the pantry and ate all the bread products. I guess hot dog rolls and bread are easy targets. Then this morning I went to wash my hair. Out of shampoo. I went to put a load of laundry in. out of detergent. Put the breakfast dishes int he dishwasher out of dishwasher detergent. Made coffee and when I poured it I realized I was out of coffee. yeah, I almost cried at that one. So after i picked up my kids we went to the gallery did some stuff there, then went shopping. It seemed I went as long as I could. So now i am tired and am going to watch House. Cause that show ROCKS. Then make an online invitation to my shindig. Cause it has to go down onthe 25th no matter what. Cause the AJC told all of Atlanta I was opening that day. No pressure.

Today was a good day. I have accomplished so much in the past three days. I have had wonderful people in my life helping me and I am learning that it is ok to not only need help, but to accept it. I could not have gotten the things done this weekend and today that I did, without these people. There were truly things I had no expertise in and even if I had wanted to just roll up my sleeves with determination and do it, I could not have. Like, install a utility sink in my class room. Or make a table. Or install track lighting, or wire an Exit sign. It is very hard for me to admit I cannot do IT ALL. And boy, do I try. I am still kind of stunned that people are so willing to help me with all of this. And so selflessly. I can't express how much it means to me that people, some who have only known me a short while, and some a longer while, believe in me so much. It gives me so much strength and courage and helps me in the moments of "what was I thinking?!?!"

Today Noah and Sophie came to the gallery after school for the first time in over a week. A lot has gotten done. Noah was sitting on a couch in my office that is becoming cozier by the moment, and said, "Ya know mom, when you showed us this place the first time, with the dead birds on the floor and the trash everywhere I thought you were crazy. But now, I get it. And it is great. Mom, you are doing a really good job." Yeah, and it is moments like that that a mom lives for. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't doing all this for me, of course I am. I am making my passion a reality. But, in the end it is all for Noah and Sophie. My lovelies.