When I was in elementary school I took art lessons. Sometimes we sketched still life scenes, and I remember having the freedom to toss a variety of pots on the wheel too. My favorite assignments, however, were the ones that required us to make something new out of things that already existed. I enjoyed the challenge of working within such obvious physical parameters. I recall being particularly proud of a sculpture made of wood and a hard boiled egg.

Today as I sat in my area muddling through interview excerpts and making charts to organize my materials, I felt a resurgence of energy that reminded me of my wood and egg days. At this point I pretty much have the components of my project, especially now that I picked up the scans. It is now time to use the women's words to add depth to the images. I want to use the quotations in a way that is fair to the families depicted and compelling to a public audience. I am enjoying putting this puzzle together.