To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
wealthy, not rich;
to study hard,
think quietly,
talk gently,
act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages,
with open hearts;
to bear all cheerfully,
to do all bravely,
await occasions,
hurry never,
In a word,
let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common-
this is my symphony.
~William Ellery Channing
reality:
(While I wrote this Seth made hamburgers and dropped a spatula on the floor 32 times. Sarah’s burger broke in half. David said “ha ha” to her. She cried. Seth threw a mitten at me. David kept tapping his feet and drumming his hands. Seth yelled out strange noices and did strange dances. We are about to leave to take David to a wrestling meet. He is hungry. I feel rushed. Seth tapped his burger fingers on the clean glass door. My nose is running. Sarah yelled at Seth.)
Good to be Home 
=) Maybe it’s idealism, as much as romance. And we still need that to strive for, right? In the midst of the reality. I love your posting. It keeps me inspired. My family is ages 11-1.5, so I follow after. =)
So true. Glad to have met you here, Sarah! Thank you for reading and commenting. Good bless your family!
Beautiful words and of course photos!! That very much sounds like reality 🙂
yeah but still all those words speak to my heart even if the spatula did fall 32 times!!
I know you wouldn’t trade your reality for all the romance in the world. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I particularly love your chaotic moments. They make me chuckle and think, “what a reilef…she has them too.”
You are so funny Shanda. Love your post.
Also…super intrigued about the book you’re currently reading. I went to Amazon and read some of the sample. I think I might like it too. I like his style of writing.
Love this and that second-to-last photo—>WOOOOW! Xo-Chris