July 4, 2012

Happy Independence Day!

I’m thankful for so many blessings today—family, friends, community, and the wonderful freedoms that we enjoy. Most of all, I’m thankful for my husband, whom I met under a shower of fireworks at the foot of the Washington Monument 20 years ago today.

I could list so many things that I love about Tim—he’s a good father, he’s my best friend, he makes me laugh, he’s loyal and hardworking. But what I love most is that whenever he’s around, I know that everything will be okay.

Happy Anniversary to Tim and Happy Fourth of July to all of you!

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Comments

Leslie says

July 4, 2012 at 11:06 pm

Wow. That’s the kind of first meeting that encourages someone to write a screenplay. 🙂 Happy 4th you two!!

Reply
Rosa @ FlutterFlutter says

July 4, 2012 at 11:44 pm

That’s a great “how we met”! Happy 4th of July!!

Reply
Lisa Fyfe says

July 5, 2012 at 6:53 pm

What a sweet story! Hope you had a great 4th!

Reply
Soleil says

July 5, 2012 at 7:02 pm

Happy story! Happy 4th of July to you both. I too met my husband on the 4th of July ( in DC on the capitol lawn for the fireworks and the National Symphony Orchestra concert). It’s been 19 years for us . I love him and I love that we met that way.

Reply
Shannon says

July 5, 2012 at 7:38 pm

No way, Soleil! That’s too amazing that we both met our future husbands that way!

We did end up having a great 4th. Hope you all did, too.

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Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor and I'm a writer and editor who enjoys riffing on life in this little corner of the internet. I "published" my first newsletter when I was nine and since then, I’ve written across various mediums, including magazines, websites, and textbooks. I started this blog when my kids were small so I could capture memories and be more intentional about my days. My children are grown now, but I still like to use this space to share ideas and keep working on being intentional.

If you're in the mood for a bit of Christmas cheer, you might enjoy THE ADVENT BOX, available wherever books are sold.

Full circle moment! 🎸 It feels like only yesterday Will was strumming his first guitar at 1-1/2 years old, and now he’s asked me to help him learn for real. Starting him off with some Green Day, and we’ll go from there. He`s got the rock star look down. ❤️

#ProudMom #GuitarLessons #FamilyHistory"

Full circle moment! 🎸 It feels like only yesterday Will was strumming his first guitar at 1-1/2 years old, and now he’s asked me to help him learn for real. Starting him off with some Green Day, and we’ll go from there. He's got the rock star look down. ❤️

#ProudMom #GuitarLessons #FamilyHistory"

I rowed in a double today!

I rowed in a double today!

I did some research this morning on the origin of "Childless Cat Lady" and was saddened to read J.D. Vance`s original comments. In our family, love is love, so I`m just as much a mother to my child who was adopted as I am to my biological children, and Pete Buttigieg and his husband are just as married as we are, and their kids are just as much theirs. And if you`re a step-parent, you know that love doesn`t have to be defined by biology. I’ve seen friends step into this role with grace and strength, proving that being a parent is about showing up, caring, and loving every day. Whether you`re there from the start or come into the child`s life later, what truly matters is the bond you build.

And let’s not forget, there are many reasons someone might not have children. The phrase "Childless Cat Lady" carries such unfair assumptions, as if a person`s worth is tied to having kids. Whether by choice or circumstance, plenty of people lead full, meaningful lives without children. Let`s be kinder with our language and recognize that love, family, and fulfillment come in many forms.

As Vice President Kamala Harris said in the debate, "It`s time to turn the page." And part of that is recognizing that families like ours—blended, adoptive, step-parented—are the reality for so many. It`s time we embrace the diversity of what family means today.

I did some research this morning on the origin of "Childless Cat Lady" and was saddened to read J.D. Vance's original comments. In our family, love is love, so I'm just as much a mother to my child who was adopted as I am to my biological children, and Pete Buttigieg and his husband are just as married as we are, and their kids are just as much theirs. And if you're a step-parent, you know that love doesn't have to be defined by biology. I’ve seen friends step into this role with grace and strength, proving that being a parent is about showing up, caring, and loving every day. Whether you're there from the start or come into the child's life later, what truly matters is the bond you build.

And let’s not forget, there are many reasons someone might not have children. The phrase "Childless Cat Lady" carries such unfair assumptions, as if a person's worth is tied to having kids. Whether by choice or circumstance, plenty of people lead full, meaningful lives without children. Let's be kinder with our language and recognize that love, family, and fulfillment come in many forms.

As Vice President Kamala Harris said in the debate, "It's time to turn the page." And part of that is recognizing that families like ours—blended, adoptive, step-parented—are the reality for so many. It's time we embrace the diversity of what family means today.

In 26 years of parenting, I`ve only gone on record twice before with parenting advice (#1: Just stop for a moment every single day and really look at your child and #2: Don`t be afraid to praise them). But the other day I read a parenting advice post that said you shouldn`t help your kids if they forget their lunch or sports equipment because to do so will keep them from building character. Those words have been knocking around in my head ever since.

So I`m going to go out on a limb and gently offer parenting tip #3: helping your kids doesn`t keep them from building character. Tim and I help each other all the time, so why wouldn`t we help our kids? Life is challenging enough and will give them plenty of opportunities to tough it out and build resilience.

If you want to help them build character, let them see you put your cart away in the parking lot corral, even if it`s raining or you`re in a hurry. Let them see you sign up to bring food to a sick neighbor or someone with a new baby. Let them see you ask for and receive help with gratitude and grace. (Learning how to ask for help was life-changing for me.) Let them see you, in the words of Bob the Tomato of VeggieTales, "say you`re sorry and make it right." In my admittedly Hufflepuff-y opinion, this is the stuff that makes good people, good families, and good communities.

In 26 years of parenting, I've only gone on record twice before with parenting advice (#1: Just stop for a moment every single day and really look at your child and #2: Don't be afraid to praise them). But the other day I read a parenting advice post that said you shouldn't help your kids if they forget their lunch or sports equipment because to do so will keep them from building character. Those words have been knocking around in my head ever since.

So I'm going to go out on a limb and gently offer parenting tip #3: helping your kids doesn't keep them from building character. Tim and I help each other all the time, so why wouldn't we help our kids? Life is challenging enough and will give them plenty of opportunities to tough it out and build resilience.

If you want to help them build character, let them see you put your cart away in the parking lot corral, even if it's raining or you're in a hurry. Let them see you sign up to bring food to a sick neighbor or someone with a new baby. Let them see you ask for and receive help with gratitude and grace. (Learning how to ask for help was life-changing for me.) Let them see you, in the words of Bob the Tomato of VeggieTales, "say you're sorry and make it right." In my admittedly Hufflepuff-y opinion, this is the stuff that makes good people, good families, and good communities.

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