The Trees Inside City Hall

My daughter's art was entered into a competition that the city held for the local schools.  Rachel's art was selected to hang in Murfreesboro City Hall!!!   I received an email that her art was going to be displayed there and the information that I needed to attend a reception and the announcement of the winners for each category.  Unfortunately, because I was not able to get home in time, we missed the announcements but we were still able to walk around and see all of the art that had been submitted to the competition.

We found Rachel's masterpiece and took pictures, spoke with her teacher and took more pictures.  The kids wanted to stay for a while and wonder around looking at all of the art.  Watching them made me so happy, it was also pretty funny to see them acting so big.  They were drinking lemonade and eating cookies while looking very intensely at the pictures like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I am so proud of Rachel.  She felt so honored and mentioned several times how awesome it was that her art was in City Hall and would be there for

almost a month.  She was so excited to know that the people who work there would be walking by and seeing what she had created every day.  When we finally went back to the car to leave, she asked, "What do they do at City Hall anyway?"  I told her government stuff and she was like oh cool.

A week later, to Rachel's surprise, we had arranged for her to see what happens at City Hall.  We were privileged to get a tour of the council chamber and how the cameras work in the control room and the kids were able to sit in the mayor's seat and bang the gavel.  They acted bored but I could tell that they were having fun.  We stayed for the meeting and Rachel was introduced and congratulated for having her art chosen to be displayed.  She felt so special.  She kept saying, "Mommy, I am getting all this special treatment".

It meant so much to me to see her honored like that.  She is such an amazing girl and (like most girls her age) she struggles with confidence and is still looking for the place she fits into.  I am so thankful for Eddie Smotherman for making my daughter feel as special as she is.

It doesn't matter what it is.What matters is what it will become.

-Dr. Seuss-