A good friend of mine came to see me at the Pet Expo where I was showcasing dog portraits. At first, he was going to have me do a painting of his wife with his dog. Then, he decided as a Mother's Day present, for me to paint his wife with their children. I smiled the entire time I did this painting. It made me realize the importance of hugging your parents (or anyone) and getting it on camera (or canvas!). He called me last night to say they were so happy with the gift, I fell asleep with yet another smile on my face.