Fresh Coat of Paint

I am going to balance my last post of no photos with a post with A LOT of photos!!!

Last week we painted Carmen's house.  Carmen is a friend who's husband was murdered almost a month ago in The Hole.  While chatting over coffee one day she mentioned that every time she walks by or sits down on her front porch the memory of Lepido's death flashes in her mind.  She felt like she had to live it over and over again.

I am naturally a fixer.  I am naturally a creative thinker and if there is one thing I have learned in my life it's that a fresh coat of paint is a good way to start new.

I am not suggesting that painting Carmen's house would take it all away and life would go on normally and roses would bud around every corner.  But there is something to be said about beautiful change.  About recognizing grief, finding a way to help you cope and looking toward what your "new normal" can be. And even though paint doesn't bring a husband back, the look on a wife's face when her home has a little facelift sure makes me think we could change a whole lot of yuck in this world with a simple can of paint.

Pastor Rafael did A LOT of painting...couldn't have completed it without him...

    

This porch is where Lepido was murdered...I was on a mission, this was the space I wanted to change the most...

Carmen painted all of the details like the window and door frames

Even Carmen's mom, Emilia, joined in the action!

And Carmen's granddaughter, Isileidy, too!

And my little buddy, Alexander!  Remember his older brother Wilson?