Yay you’re back! Loved this. So sweet Helene and Holly discussing how Jim is the key. And Michael buying the painting!
Im not sure how I feel about your end note there 😬

Author's Response: Thank you so much!

Yay! So glad she is doing the art show. Their pinky promise was so cute as well.

Author's Response: Thank you!

My squee of excitement that this got an update is only overshadowed by twinge of gut worry that the art show will be hard or Jim’s parents won’t bring him….. fingers crossed our little sweeties are okay!

Author's Response: Awww so glad! Don’t worry, it all works out!

Oh what a darling chapter! Even though Jim sat on the bus with Karen and Pam sat alone, it was still wonderful to see how in awe Pam was at the art museum! I hope Helene is as impressed with how far Pam’s come as much as I am! Love this so much!

Author's Response: Thank you so much, so glad!

Awww, this is so sweet. Pam being able to let her creativity flow like this is adorable. She's also letting go of some anxieties too. I get the sense that had she tried something similar prior to meeting Jim she would have been hung up with staying inside the lines. Had even one brush stroke gone awry she would be been beating herself up. Now however with the bits of confidence she's getting, she's finding it's okay to have some flaws and defects. She doesn't have to be perfect. She can be beautiful in the ordinary. Mayhaps that will be the key to banishing that Keeper of Words from her while out of the house.

Jim being excited for Pam, especially about her art, is always a wonderful thing. He gets so enraptured that he has this special little window into her mind and he can't help but keep looking in. Delightful.

Author's Response: I’m so glad you enjoy it! Somehow you always seem to have more insight into my story than I do! 

Raspberry...you make me long for my watercolor supplies, long gone from me now...you managed to capture how entrancing it is to let the colors flow on to the paper and how easy it is once the paper isn't stark white anymore. I cannot wait to see where Jim and Pam go with the art show ...SOOO much love for them!

Author's Response: Oh thank you so much! Watercolors is so relaxing, you should certainly pull them out again! I think your going to enjoy the art show… there is a lot planned!

Loved the use of the speed limit metaphor to start out with. I've often found people having anxiety issues to say they feel like their thoughts are racing ahead at 10,000,000,000 miles an hour which only makes their anxiety worse. For Pam to have Jim stand up for her like this and bring her thoughts to down to a normal speed was a great way to picture things. Same with the lifeboat image. The thing about a lifeboat is that yes, it can still be tossed around by wind and wave, but it can set its own coarse and move on its own to safety by its own oars or or motor. It's a chance for self rescue that's a much better chance than hanging on to a life ring or piece of debris. That lighthouse I talked about a while back feels like its getting bigger on the horizon.

Jim's view of chances is refreshing too. Feels like an extension of him telling Pam she needs to take a chance on something sometime from canon. Goes over better here too.

Author's Response: Aw, thank you! I always look forward to your thoughtful comments! Thank you!!

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He is SUPER brave, and SUPER sweet and SUPER kind.... I just adore this classroom and your world....I want to go and read stories to these littles!

Author's Response: Aw! Im so glad! I love writing sweet Jim

I would absolutely love to see Michael be an elementary school teacher! Though he’s probably not entirely as organized as they should be, I can only imagine the joy he’d bring to teaching new things to an attentive class of young ones!

I love this sweet development of Dwight and Pam’s relationship! Even though I know Pam is going to be on those swings with Jim soon, it’s good to know she has Dwight in her corner too!

Ah so cute! I detested reading out loud in school too, words are annoying to have to read out, so I feel ya young Jim - but go him for stepping in and braving his fear! Wonder if this will help fuel Pam's battle with her keeper of words?

Author's Response: Aw thank you so much! You’ll see next chapter its effect on her!

Figured there's be more of direct approach from Ms. Bennet with Pam. Of course that just sends her into deep waves of panic. But there's Jim to throw her a life ring by taking the attention of her and onto himself.

The fact Jim has his own struggles with words comes across really well here. Something that helps bind their relationship together even more. Lovely.

Author's Response: Thank you so much! I used a bit of you life ring metaphor - I’ll be sure to mention that in the next chapter. I felt that Jim had so much understanding that he must have been through something similar, and for a long time I just couldn’t finger what!

I just fistbumped the air at Jim being dyslexic!!!!! LOVE THIS!!! And we have all know. The jerk teacher who only cared about how THEY think kids should learn.

Author's Response: Thank you so much! I felt like Jim was also using this to communicate and had so much meaning in it, so him having it just felt right! Of course we have the teacher who thinks they can fix everything haha!

AWWWW!!!! Can’t wait for Jim’s reaction to his gift!
And, having been 8 and tapped my thumb… I felt this on a visceral level.. haha!

Author's Response: Oh no! I actually broke my arm falling off of a play set at recess when I was seven and never told anyone… I probably should have because it was broken in a few places haha! I managed to stay the entire day in school!