Shanspirations

I’m Shannon, a 32 year old Christian married for 6 and a half years to Jacob, my best friend and highschool sweetheart. I’m finally getting to do what I’ve wanted to do all my life.

In highschool and college, I always hoped I’d one day discover just the right occupation for a girl who longed to do a million things. I found it: as a stay-at-home wife and mom I get to learn and grow like crazy at home while loving my husband and spending time with our daughter.

This blog is a place to share with others my ongoing homekeeping education, interests, favorite ideas, and inspirations.

Here are some random tidbits about me and my family:

1. I’ve loved lilac bushes since I was a girl. All over my home, in my decorating, I have lilac themes. In May when the lilacs bloom I get excited like a kid to go and pick my first blossom of the season (they only last about ten days, usually).

2. Jacob and I dated four years in highschool and early college. We went to separate colleges and broke up right before our junior year. We were apart and in different states for the next four years and didn’t even know what was going on in each others’ lives.

Then, in a series of events that still inspires and amazes me, at a time when I had begun praying about him, Jacob began thinking of me. He didn’t know I was thinking about him at the time, but after much prayer, he called my father, then me, and pursued a relationship leading to marriage with me. I am so thankful God gave us back to each other!

3. Jacob and I met our tenth grade year of highschool.

4. We lived in the same apartment in New York state for our first 4 1/2 years of marriage until nearly two years ago when we made the exciting leap of moving to Boston, Massachusetts.

5. We name every place we live.

6. I wrote letters to my daughter throughout my pregnancy with her. I’m pleased to have done that because it was something I dreamed of doing since I was a highschool student. Now as she grows, I have started a journal for her and I write about the exciting things that happen to her.  At 4 and a half she loves her journal and begs me to read her the stories in it.

7. I have once been on an almost entirely sugar-free diet for over a year. I never dreamed I could do this! I felt much better and healthier.  But then I lapsed…I am also dairy and gluten free, not because I want to be, but because of food allergies.

8. I’ve been keeping a journal since I was ten years old and have colorful kid-perspective accounts to help me remember events throughout my late childhood, and, especially, my teenage years. It is especially neat to have journal entries about falling in love with Jacob and the many fun activities we experienced in highschool. Writing has always been something that soothes and brings joy to me.

9. I grew up in a Christian home, but had a lot of doubts and questions and general disbelief of Christianity in my teenage years. I came to believe in Christ in college.

10. College was a great experience for me. I had so much fun and made wonderful friends who influenced my life deeply. I especially loved the evening church and chapel services at my small Christian college.  So many visiting preachers came and touched my life with their passion for the Lord.  Even some of the staff who weren’t my favorites still managed to teach me a lot. I’m grateful. The prayer rooms in my dorm were also an incredible part of my spiritual growth, a place to get alone with God, and just what I needed.

Since my initial spiritual growth happened in my college years, I still get sentimental about things like the choruses we sang in prayer group or the conversations about God with friends at meals. Or the homework projects I thought I’d never get through, but finished with God’s grace all over me. Oh, and some of my caring, kind, and talented teachers who I’ll just always remember.