Welcome to Content in the Chaos! I’m Shannon – a Nebraska raised girl, who loves to garden, cook, bake, and a good DIY project. Oh, and I have a soft spot for animals, too. My husband and I got married in 2013. In 2015, we purchased our first home. It sits on 9 acres and our closest neighbor is a half-mile away. For an introverted-leaning person like me, this is absolute bliss. We love owning our own little piece of land.
Of course, owning a place like this comes with its own set of challenges. The house and land had been pretty neglected prior to us purchasing the property. We knew this going into it, but are still presented with surprises and challenges frequently. Our plan is to make this place our own with as little professional help as possible. We bought a diamond in the rough and hope to make it shine again!
In addition to our home projects, my husband works a demanding and physical full-time job and I work part-time. We also own a small side business. We dealt with infertility for well over 2 years. Our first child is expected to join us at the beginning of December!
All of this background brings me to why I decided to start this blog. In the midst of our infertility struggle I found myself deeply unhappy. Add in the stress of our home projects, work, and our side business and I felt like my life was out of control. I felt restless and stuck. I wanted out of my own life, but there was nowhere to go. I was unable to find joy in my life for days and weeks at a time. The rational part of my brain knew that if I made no changes, then nothing would change. Even though I knew this, I was so paralyzed by my unhappiness that I couldn’t find it within myself to make any changes.
I have thought about the idea of starting a blog for a few years. My husband knew it was something I had been interested in and encouraged me to start, especially in my darkest days. I kept putting it off and finding reasons (read: excuses) to put it off. Once I found out I was pregnant, I felt some weight and sadness lifting off my shoulders. Slowly, I started feeling like myself again. I have been feeling more motivated and my husband comments that I have joy behind my smile again.
I say all this not because I am looking for sympathy. I know that every person has their own issues and problems in life. Comparatively, mine are small. But, I never expected I would be someone who couldn’t find happiness, who didn’t want to get out of bed, who didn’t want to spend time with family and friends. The last few years have really changed my outlook on life and the future.
So, here I sit at 30 weeks pregnant. I’ve finally found the courage to jump in and start this blog that I have been dreaming about for so long. I may discuss infertility from time to time, but do not plan for that to be the focus of this blog. I want to talk about what we are doing here and now. For me that is gardening, cooking, and baking. You’ll probably see my dog sometimes, too. I really love creating things and DIY projects. I want to share the process of turning my house into something beautiful. I want this blog to help me continually find joy in a simple life and truly be “content in the chaos.”
I am so glad you’re here and hope you’ll join me on this journey!