Encourage

This Christmas

by Shannon | Dec 4, 2022 | Encourage, Life in general, Shannon | 0 Comments

My mom used to LOVE Christmas. By "love" I mean she would go all out. Every nook and cranny of every room was filled with something sparkly and shiny. There were specific decorations that went in specific spots every year: the snowman couple in a basket always sat in...

Missing

by Shannon | Sep 19, 2022 | Encourage, Life in general, Shannon | 0 Comments

Hey mom, I miss you. I know you’re less than five miles away and that I will probably see you this afternoon, but right now I just really miss you. I'm standing in your closet shaking my head at how incredibly organized and fastidious you have always been: everything...

Out of Africa

by Shannon | Aug 28, 2022 | Encourage, Faith, Inspire, Life in general, Shannon | 0 Comments

(This post was written a few weeks ago....) Exactly one week ago I was somewhere over remote Northeast Canada on my way to Dallas. I was so ready to be home… and so exhausted. A week later, and 100 years older, I realize that I had no idea what the word exhausted...

And Then There Were Two

by Louise | Oct 15, 2021 | Encourage, Faith, Louise, Parenting, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

After years of writing (here, in my journal, and in my millions of half-finished notebooks around the house) about life with kids and navigating their baby years, tween years and teenage years, it's finally here: the dreaded "empty nest." We dropped Number 3, Catie,...

Super E

by Shannon | Oct 8, 2021 | Encourage, Parenting, Shannon | 1 Comment

This morning I heard my second-born's alarm going off so I stepped into his room and sat down on the side of his bed. He burrowed further into the covers and turned his head away when I clicked the lamp on. "What, mom? I'm up!"His deep scratchy voice matched the...

And So it Goes…

by Shannon | Aug 12, 2021 | Encourage, Parenting, Shannon | 0 Comments

Dear Kindergartner: You've got this! I promise, it will be way more amazing than you can imagine. Your mom has made you a very special lunch (probably with a special little note) and your teacher will help you open your milk if you need it. I know it is a little new...

Have Yourself a Merry Little Something…

by Shannon | Dec 19, 2020 | Encourage, Life in general, Shannon | 0 Comments

This holiday season I'm finding myself bouncing wildly between two states of mind: 1. We are going to have a flipping AMAZING traditional Christmas if it flipping kills us! AND2. Nothing is going to be the same as it's always been, so why bother trying? One day I'm...

Mixed Bag….

by Shannon | Aug 12, 2020 | Encourage, Life in general, Shannon, Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Kid #3 starts school in the morning. As in...she's leaving the house and going to another building for eight hours! Oh is she ever excited to start 8th grade...truly! She's been organizing and labeling (and re-labeling and re-organizing) school and locker supplies for...

The Stupid Water Bottle

by Shannon | Aug 19, 2019 | Encourage, Parenting, Shannon | 0 Comments

This. This water bottle. This bulky water bottle that my kid has been caring around with him to school, to sports, to work…for long as I can remember. I hate finding it all muddy sitting in the sink with the assumption that I’m going to clean it (which I do of course...

Final Countdown

by Shannon | Aug 4, 2019 | Encourage, Parenting, Shannon | 0 Comments

We've filled our days, focused on making memories, tried tons of new things, repeated traditions, eaten dozens of family meals, had movie nights, traveled lots of places, taken hundreds of pictures, enjoyed friends, cherished family, holed up in our rooms when we were...