It’s BLISS day, my sweetums!  The day when I share the little things that rocked my world this week. And you can share too, in the comments. Or by clicking on that button over there, the one on the right, and linking up to the Little Bliss List blog party.

So here’s what did it for me this week. Things that put a smile on my face, made my heart go all soft and awwwww…

Number one. Numero Uno.  The kids at the local high school (Nevada Union, Grass Valley CA) BLEW ME AWAY with the election of a special needs Home Coming Queen. The election of Rachel Bristol, a senior with Down syndrome was the SECOND time this academic year when a special needs student was elected to the Home Coming court. The first was last fall when Colin Pierce, another Down syndrome student, was elected Home Coming King.

Here’s the link. Unfortunately the local paper is now a paid subscription online. Copying the URL doesn’t work. Never fear, you can read it on my facebook timeline.

I read about this in the classroom where I teach, maybe a ten minute walk to the high school. My students are developmentally disabled adults. Many of them went to that same school. The day before the newspaper ran the story, one of my students, a young woman in her twenties, was talking about how unhappy she’d been in high school. How mean the regular ed kids had been to those in special ed.

And now they’re winning the biggest popularity contest of all…Home Coming.

While I was reading about Rachel Bristol, a young man just a couple of years older than her was dancing in front of an easel a few feet in front of me–and I mean dancing–while he painted on a 3X4 canvas. He’s Downs and there’s NO ONE who paints with the joy that he paints with. He’s relatively new to us and already several pieces of his have been accepted for a show in New York City.

Bliss indeed.

Number two good thing full o’bliss…the decision to launch Random Acts of Art Wednesday (RAAW). You can read all about it here.  The response was AMAZING!!! I can’t wait to see what you link up with on Wednesday. Because you WILL be linking up, won’t you? Remember, if you don’t have a blog just send me a photo and I’ll post it. Need to have the photos by the Tuesday before.

Number three…a little hint o’winter. Just a tease from mother nature, considering she’s held off on WEATHER this year. Don’t even know if you can call it snow when the grass is poking through but still, waking up and seeing this was a good moment.

Number four. The arty cathedral in the woods, AKA the future Studio Grande. Mr. Spouse is a good man with a serious building habit. And right now that’s making me a very happy Mrs. Spouse.

And number five? Hours and hours of studio time this week. Music! Layers! Big canvasses!!! A couple of small ones finished. Perhaps next week I’ll have something to show for it.

So that’s my list. Now it’s your turn. Can’t wait to read what turned you on this week.