About

 Hello!!

According to my mom when I was three years old I said I wanted to be a teacher. I'm not sure how many three year olds declare what their future will be, but apparently I did. I spent over 20 years teaching middle school and LOVING IT! I know what your thinking, middle school, really? Those were the worst years of my life. Personally my middle school years were a series of mishaps in trying to fit in, so I agree with you. Middle school is not fun. But, spending over 20 years with an amazing teaching team, a stream of wonderful families and students, plus curriculum I love made for a great mix of agonizing fun.

I do remember always wanting to be a mom. At the young age of 24 my husband and I welcomed our first kiddo to the family. We loved it so much that we later had her brother and sister. There is nothing better than being a mom to these three amazing adults. 

Someone once told me that they hated certain stages of their child's growing up years. I was shocked! How? Is it possible to hate a stage? My goal was to find joy in each stage no matter how difficult it was. Honestly, it wasn't always easy. I made lots of mistakes, spent days or weeks frustrated.  I had high expectations of  my children and even higher ones for  myself. In spite of my  imperfections I found  joy in each stage of parenting.

Now I am watching as my children grow into adults, get married, discover and navigate their own dreams and begin families of their own. In the 27 years I have been a mom I have realized three things: one, I love the individual person each of my children are, I love being a mother and there is nothing more important than family.

Recently my husband and I were invited to move in with our daughter and her husband. They blessed us with an adorable grandson this last spring and were asking us to help them raise this beautiful baby and his eventual siblings. Like I said, family is the most important thing. So, I retired from teaching early, we sold our home, moved across the country with our business and began a life in a multigenerational home. Everything about my life is different, even the day of the week that I do laundry and clean. We are living in a multigenerational home in a country that doesn't widely practice this type of family. I'm building muscles I haven't used in years all while watching this adorable grandson of ours grow and develop each day. I can't believe how blessed we are.

I'm excited to go places I never dreamt of, have experiences that couldn't come any other way and to record them here for my grand babies, my children, family, friends and anyone interested in what life is like in America when living with your daughter and her family.

Hugs,

Shannon (Grammy)