The Painting

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was good at art. Her name was Mia. Mia thought she was the best artist in her class. One day, she discovered a painting contest she could enter. Her parents signed her up. At school, she found out that her best friend signed up, too!

All the girls in the class would say that Mia and her friend were the best at art… except for Mia! Mia was afraid that if she got a big head, she wouldn’t win.

The kids went out for a great recess on the swings. Then the whistle blew, and all the kids went inside for art. In the art room the art teacher made an announcement. “Boys and girls, if you don’t know, we have a painting contest coming up, and I want everyone to start painting now.”

Mia knew that she was going to paint a dog. She just got a good start on her idea when the teacher said it was time for class to end, and they would need to spend some time at home on this project.

When Mia got home, she started to get her painting stuff out, and got right to work. She was going to paint the BEST DOG! She started with the face, then the ears! Next she did the body of the dog… then his little feet! She circled back to the face to do the tongue… she worked and worked and worked! AND THEN….nearing completion … ironically enough HER DOG, Layla bust into the room and peed all over her work! It’s ruined!

“Darn you, Layla!” shouted Mia. “This is why I never get my hopes up! Someone, or SOMETHING always comes along and wrecks stuff! Get out of my room! OUT!

Layla dipped her head low and left.

Mia slammed her bedroom door. Now what? She had no choice but to start all over, that’s what. Mia started all over. She started to do the face first, then the ears. Next she did the body of the dog, then the little feet; and she went back to the face to do the tongue. Done. Then she put it up high so Layla wouldn’t get at it.

At dinner time, she ate her dinner and went up to her room to work on her painting. She was done drawing so she could start painting her dog. She started to do the face of the dog, then she started to do the body until her Mom said it was time to go to bed.

So Mia put the canvas in her closet and put her painting stuff away and went to bed. The next morning, Mia got up early so she could paint. She got her canvas out and her painting stuff out. All Mia had to do was half of the dog’s body. Then after it dries she could put it in her backpack because today is the last day of the painting contest.

She headed out the door to the bus. It was a long bus ride, but she got to school on time. When Mia got to her classroom, her teacher said to turn in the paintings for the contest. Mia turned in her painting, then her teacher said the judges will be here after lunch.

It took a while, but then it was lunchtime, and Mia was happy because the judges would be here. After lunch, all the kids went to the gym to see the judges. The kids sat down on the floor so the judges could look at the paintings. Mia’s was the last one they viewed, and then the judges talked to each other, discussing the results.

Then they announced that Mia got first place! Her friends got second and third place! Then she went home and told her parents. They were so proud!

Sometimes life happens. Dogs pee on things they’re not supposed to. But sometimes we all have to do things more than once to get it right.

“Next time I paint,” Mia thought, “I’m tying the dog up outside!”