in the spartan culture, when a child reaches the age of 7, they take him/her away for training. they call it the "agoge" which literally translates to "raising". it's a long and difficult process and for the sons of sparta, can be a vicious and brutal way to weed out the weak.

it is a bit extreme of a title for this piece but i thought of the mothers and what they must have felt when their babies were taken away from them. i had to relax her expression a little bit because i couldn't help but cry each time i looked at her and it is hard painting on her hair in tears. you see, my oldest daughter, my baby, started school today and i spent an entire weekend crying my eyes out. i am missing her already i wish i could hold on to them and keep them at their current age and never grow up lol. but they do...and fast...and so today my firstborn spread her wings and flew....i hope she flies high and learn to reach new heights.

sigh...there goes niagra falls...thanks for looking.



* BG sky from thank you so much!