happiness
New Poem: Suddenly it is Spring
Like it knew the day on the calendar, suddenly it is spring.
Yesterday the grass was brown and brittle, dreary and drab.
Today it is moist and muddy, gentle and greening.
Alfred D’Souza Quote & Blog Reader Snow Photos
“For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were … Read more
Upheld by My Gracious, Omnipotent Hand
Okay, I made a mess of myself, right there in church this morning, convulsively weeping over the words of this hymn.
The Marvelous Mundane
“It has taken a while, but I certainly do know it now – the most wonderful gift I had, the gift I’ve finally learned to cherish above all else, was the gift of all those perfectly ordinary days.” Katrina Kenison I love “ordinary days” too, so here I share some photos of how awesome the … Read more
New Poem: Toward a “Both/And” World
Toward a “Both/And” World Sometimes we get so fused up over something being either/or when it can easily be both/and. Our son couldn’t decide between Political Science or Engineering so he’s double majoring. Whatever he does in his future he’ll benefit from what he learns in each. Churches struggle with a clash of concepts … Read more
Poem by Leslea Newman
Secret Sometimes when the morning sun streams through the kitchen window and I’m washing the dishes or opening a can of cat food or sweeping potato peels and onion skins off the linoleum floor, I get so taken with the way my arms move back and forth with the broom or how pretty my … Read more
What Healthy Looks Like
I liked the bit below from this Bravewriter (homeschooling curriculum) newsletter written by Julie Bogart: “I made a list of what ‘healthy’ looks like to me a few years back. I share it with you now: Curiosity over accusation: When you find someone’s behavior strange or upsetting or simply different than you expected, ask questions, … Read more
Quote: She Let Go
“She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go. She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly … Read more
Our Daughter Back from Cattle-working in Colorado
Our youngest daughter is back from a two week program of cattle-working in Colorado. She had a great time and flew home on July 4th to an awesome display of fireworks from above. She keeps repeatedly saying the whole trip was “so fun,” which is the majority of our non-specific feedback! Offered as a co-ed … Read more
Love my Knitting Girls
This year I taught a knitting class to some precious nine year old girls whose siblings were in older classes with our homeschooling group (that our youngest daughter was taking.) Since these girls were at lose ends while their siblings were busy, I volunteered to give them a constructive activity during the same time frame. … Read more
Our Youngest Off To Herd Cattle From a Horse
I took our youngest to the airport early this morning to catch a flight to Colorado. She is going to the ranches at Adventure Unlimited where she will spend two weeks herding cattle from a horse. This is something she’s always wanted to do. It was downright splendid how excited she was. She has flown … Read more
Poem by Kahil Gibran: Your Children
Your Children Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. … Read more
Elements of a “Functional” Family
Respect And I don’t mean just that easy respect that comes when everything is rosy: the influential job, and impeccable behavior with every word and deed done just right. I’m talking about that fundamental respect that everyone inherently deserves regardless of what they do or how they behave – the kind that treats everyone well, … Read more
Virginia Graduates from St. John’s College in Annapolis
We are so proud of our daughter Virginia who graduated today from St. John’s college in Annapolis. Out of 140 students in her class, 97 made it to graduation. This is a challenging place, and she has done very well. The college paper picks one senior each year to highlight in an article and this … Read more
New Poem by Me: Benign
Benign a happy word like being nine again the hop, skip and jump of it a relief a release from an unjust sentence uncondemned, safe Congratulations on the courage to find out. by Polly Castor