Julie Gumm - Author

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Interpretative Art

10.07.2010 by juliegumm@yahoo.com //

During the Karyn Purvis pre-conference at Together for Adoption she talked a bit about kids from hard places and how they see themselves. She showed us several drawings done by these kids and explained what they meant. There is a real science to this – extremely fascinating.

Some of the pictures showed the adopted child off to the side of the rest of the family – they didn’t feel like they were part of a family. Others demonstrated how they felt trapped or angry or hurt.

Of course all us adoptive moms had a sudden urge to go home and ask all our children to draw a family picture.

Before I could even ask, I got this.

This is me, as drawn by Beza at school.

In real life I have short brown hair. It definitely would not go in pigtails. Does this indicated I’m not the white mommy she really wanted?

She drew me with a crown. Does that mean she sees me as a princess? Or the wicked queen?

I have cape. Am I Superwoman?

Then I asked her about the bikini top. Because I don’t wear a bikini.

“It’s not a bikini mom. It’s those things….”

<long pause while she searches for the right word>

“Coconuts!”

Um yeah, because I walk around in a coconut bikini top A LOT.

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Categories // Family Matters, Featured Articles Tags // #t4acon, adoption, attachment, child art, Karyn Purvis, orphans, Parenting, Together for Adoption conference

Comments

  1. Elizabeth says

    October 7, 2010 at 7:27 am

    i thought maybe you were her “Xena: Warrior Princess” LOL. hugs.

  2. Owlhaven (Mary Ostyn) says

    October 7, 2010 at 7:35 am

    Lol, that’s hilarious! I haven’t asked my kids yet…

    Mary

  3. Audrey Baker says

    October 7, 2010 at 8:38 am

    well, apparently she thinks you are one HOT mama!! Has she been watching any Bollywood films lately? 🙂

  4. Phil Rhodes says

    October 7, 2010 at 9:59 am

    That’s what I was thinking, more warrior/royalty garb like Xena. Beza’s got some artistic talent there! I miss those kids of yours. (No, that doesn’t mean you can ship them here while Mark’s gone this month.)

  5. Wendi says

    October 7, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    Wow…ok….thy does leave some questions now doesn’t it?
    Hmmm….no one is limbless, in a box, or non-human, so we’re encouraged,…right?
    Lol and hugs from CO
    P.s. If they leave off my mouth, is it because they want me to ‘shut-up?” 🙂

  6. beBOLDjen says

    October 7, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    WOW. That is sure something to chew on. Coconuts? Hmmmmmmmmm. LOL

About Me

Writer. Wife. Mother. Traveler. Coffee-addict. Book-lover. Television-Junkie. I love stories. Hearing them, watching them, telling them, living them.

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