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The past few weeks I’ve been silent on the blog. I think it all started when my Paw Paw died. I wanted to post something about him (and I still do) so to go on posting about life felt wrong. But time has passed and life does go on. I still plan to write about his life and everything but for now I’m going to keep sharing life with you. Here’s to no more silence…
-Shannon
Just the usual…a baby flying around…
-Shannon
Let me introduce you to one of Os best friends…Glowie!
Glowie has become quite the friend especially at bedtime when I’m trying to lotion down and dress this babe before bed.
Glowie provides the perfect distraction during that time.
At all other times he is just so much fun to play with!
So Owen introduces you to Glowie!
And then he tackles him…
O + Glowie = Best Friends!
…I have missed the most since leaving Vancouver…
I always found Vancouver absolutely amazing because you could sit on the beach and stare at the mountains. And yet you always had the city close by as well.
During our visit we made it down to the beach several times. Especially because our hosts lived just two blocks from it! So each day we would either drive by it or stop by for a quick look.
One morning Lucas even woke up early and went for a walk on the beach. A few mintues later I followed realizing I shouldn’t waste my time sleeping when we have a beautiful beach nearby. I didn’t catch up with Lucas but I was able to snap a few shots and enjoy the early morning serenity of an empty beach.
We just couldn’t get enough of the beautiful scenery and it didn’t matter if it was day or night.
It’s funny but when we lived in Vancouver I rarely took pictures of the mountains or the beach by themselves. We were always enjoying a picnic with friends or a walk together. And while I love those pictures it is also nice to simply enjoy the view. Although I have to say that I now realize these pictures don’t do it justice. I guess we’ll just have to visit again.
-Shannon
As some of you probably know, this year I wanted to test the waters a bit in terms of PhD applications. I say “test the waters” because I still lack a little vocational clarity. Basically, I am quite sure that I want to teach; I am just not sure about the sticky issues of capacity and institution—namely would I most like teaching full-time in a university setting, full-time in a church setting, part-time at both… ah, the complications.
This said, I thought it might be helpful to see if I would even get accepted into a PhD program (these things are far from guaranteed!). If nobody accepted me this would make the decision a little easier. So, with a little trepidation and a lack-luster GRE score I applied to three PhD programs this year: Harvard, Emory and the University of Missouri. Each school had different strengths and weaknesses and I selected these schools because I would really be happy studying at any of them. After waiting a couple of months, the results started coming in. Harvard and Emory weren’t buying what I was selling but MU extended me an invitation to start the PhD program in History in the fall of 2009.
This is an exciting offer on a few fronts. 1) This would mean I could work with John Wigger who, as you undoubtedly know, is doing some of the best historical work on early American Methodism. He will soon be publishing a biography of Francis Asbury and has already published a fantastic book (which is phenomenally well-researched and easy to read) entitled, Taking Heaven by Storm. 2) It would likewise mean that Shannon and I could move back to Missouri! The idea of moving back to our home state does bring mixed feelings, but generally we both think it would be nice to be closer to family and experience all Missouri has to offer. 3) I could continue/finish the ordination process with the Methodists much easier within my home conference.
Long story short, we have arrived at this decision: I have deferred enrollment in the PhD program at MU for one academic year (enter in the Fall of 2010). This will allow me to complete the Master of Divinity degree at Princeton and likewise give me time to try to secure some fellowship funding for studying at MU. I may apply to one more program in the fall of this year, but I think that if I want to get a PhD, Missouri is going to be hard to beat. You can be sure we will keep praying about this; feel free to join in!
-Lucas
This picture comes compliments of my brother & sister-in-law; I don’t know how long they had to wait outside at his ranch to get it. Either that or they took the snap of my brother and pasted Norris’ face on top. Either way, thanks Todd & Angie!
-Lucas
…grown out my fingernails. For as long as I can remember I have been biting my fingernails. My mom says I started biting them while I was still in my crib…but then again I slept in a crib until I was 8 (just joking). Seriously though I’ve been biting my nails forever. Some would say it was a nervous habit (I don’t think so). My pawpaw would try to bribe me with money ( but he would only pay up if I grew them ALL out, not just one fingernail here and there). My mom would put stuff on my fingers that was supposed to taste bad (I thought it tasted like pickles and I LOVE pickles). In 8th grade I started playing the guitar and that only further convinced me to keep my nails short (although my nails have never even reached the end of my fingers). Even when I got married I tried to grow them out but couldn’t because it just didn’t feel like me (and I bit them off after a week). So this has been my life for as long as I can remember. And most of you who know me have probably picked up on this little habit of mine.
Then the oddest thing happened…right before we left Vancouver I thought I would try growing my nails out. I started by coating them with clear nail polish each day to try and keep me away from them. By the time we said goodbye to Vancouver I had a pretty good base built up but nothing that I hadn’t seen before and slowly nibbled away. We had a 40 hour long road trip ahead of us where I would be sitting in the car with nothing to do but bite my nails…but I made it through. Then summer kept happening and my nails kept growing! I couldn’t believe I was actually doing this…growing my nails. At some point I didn’t have to wear my protective coat of nail polish. I just didn’t bite my nails. And believe it or not they just kept growing and growing until one day they looked like this…
I realise now that this actually looks kind of gross but hey I had grown my nails out so who cared what they looked like. But do you notice my weakness?
That’s right, I had to keep one nail to bite on so I choose righty thumbnail. And keep in mind that my thumbnail was typically my biggest nail so all my other nails were even smaller than him when I started out.
The reason I finally took some pictures is because that day was the day I was going to cut my nails. Not chew them off but cut them. And why would I cut my gorgeous nails? Because I started playing this…
Little progress has been made on it since this summer but I am slowly working at adding the violin (but more fiddle) to my repertoire. My sister used to play it but then bestowed this violin to me years ago. We never took it with us to Vancouver so it sat in my parents basement for a few years. This summer we finally took it to the local music store to figure out what to do with it. I’ve just been teaching myself with the help of a book and some great youtube lessons. And don’t worry, the fingernails are still there but just at a more manageable length.
-Shannon
*PS-The pictures of my nails were taken this summer when I started playing the violin…no, I am not that tan now. :)
My friend, Jessica, sent me this as an e-mail and since I have nothing better to blog about I thought I would share it here. :) So here goes my senior year of high school…
1. What was your school’s full name?
Republic High School
2. When did you graduate?
2000
3. What was your school mascot?
Tigers
4. Did you date someone from your school?
Not during my senior year but at other times
5. Did you marry someone from your high school?
No, Lucas went to Joplin High School
6. Did you carpool to school?
Well I took my sister and somtimes I took friends home but I was always driving and it wasn’t really a carpool kind of thing
7. What kind of car did you have?
1984…Ford Mustang…Primer Grey…it was pretty awesome!
8. What kind of car do you have now?
2000 Honda Civic
9. It is Friday night…where are you (then)?
Dancing at a football or basketball game with the Pom Squad
10. It is Friday night…where are you (now)?
Probably at home with Lucas, maybe have some friends over
11. What kind of job did you have in high school?
During my senior year I worked at a video store…for about 10 hours a week. :)
12. What kind of job do you have now?
Right now I’m a worship leader and also a receptionist but since high school I’ve also taught piano, guitar, djembe lessons; been a nanny for 3 kids; worked at Target (for a very short period); worked and taught classes at a scrapbook store; been a barista (not at Starbucks); receptionist in a law firm in downtown Vancouver; student (again)…I guess that’s all. :)
13. Were you a party animal?
No, not in the typical high school sense but I did have a lot of fun with my friends
14. Were you considered a flirt?
Maybe by some…I’m not sure
15. Were you in band, orchestra or choir?
I was in choir all 4 years of high school
16. Were you a nerd?
I don’t think so
17. Did you get suspended or expelled?
No but in first grade I was sent to the principal’s office for having a boy stand on his desk and then depantsing him. :)
18. Can you sing the fight song?
I don’t really know that we had a fight song but the band always played “Eye of the Tiger” at games since we were the Republic Tigers.
19. Who were your favorite teachers?
Mr. Newcomer, my geography/history teacher, because we really studied the world; Mrs. Ashley, my english teacher, because I learned more about writing from her; Mrs. Phillips, my choir director, because she really took the input of the students and because I did a lot of extra things with her; Mrs. Mais, my sometimes history teacher but also the Pom sponsor. I wrote a song and sang it in her wedding and since high school we’ve become pretty close. It’s been really special to keep up that kind of contact although it is fewer and far between than I would like it to be.
20. Where did you sit during lunch?
Obviously at a table in the lunch room probably with Jessica (then known as Dipper), Anna, other fun people…I don’t know. :)
21. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
Yeah, I had a pretty good time although there are things I would do differently for sure
22. Did you have fun at prom?
Yes!!! All four times plus a time at Kickapoo’s prom…I love dancing!!!
23. Do you still talk to the person you went to prom with?
That would be a negative
24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion?
Yes if we ever have one.
Well I’m sure that was fascinating to read. :) Actually I think it is fascinating to learn new things about people, so…I’m throwing this out there for anyone else to do but I’m also specifically asking Shelley (because she is from Canada and maybe high school is different up there), Dan (because he’s a guy and he went to high in California), Katie (because she went to high school in Oregon), Sarah (because I knew her in high school but didn’t go to high school with her), Meredith (because I knew her after high school and she went to high school in Arkansas…hopefully she’ll do this even though I never passed on her Smile Award that she gave me although it made my day, week, month…) and EVERYONE else join on in!
Hopefully some things will happen in life so I’ll have more to blog about. Come to think of it I do have some past blog ideas that I never shared so I’ll try to get on that ASAP…until then…
-Shannon
This past week we embarked on what will hopefully be our last cross-country road trip for quite some time. We have safely arrived in New Jersey and are becoming familiar with the land of concrete. :) Actually it is quite pretty and thankfully we don’t live next to a parking lot. The adventure started last Saturday as we drove to Springfield to pick up the moving truck. We decided not to haul the car behind it so that meant we both had to drive the entire trip. On Saturday that trip was only from Springfield to West Plains but we had a chance to get a feel for the road and to test out our new super-duper walkie-talkies (thanks Dad!). After we got back to West Plains we spent the rest of the day loading the truck…
As the truck filled up the garage became empty…
On Sunday we just had to pack a few final things and then we were on our way. But not before each getting a road-trip survival kit…aka snacks…
…taking a final picture with the truck…
…and saying goodbye to my parents…
So after all this hard work we were finally on the road. On Sunday we drove from West Plains, MO to Indianapolis, IN. Lucas drove the big rig while Paca and I followed behind in the girl car. Paca and I spent most of our trip looking at this…
Paca quickly made herself comfortable…she always has to have a view of the road…
Bye, bye Missouri…
After lots of driving and a few cat naps…
…we said hello to Indianapolis.
Little known fact…Lucas graduated high school from Greenfield, Indiana which is just outside of Indianapolis. So on Monday morning we went on the Lucas Endicott Reality Tour…we saw his high school…
…and their old house…
Then it was time to drive from Indianapolis, IN to Harrisburg, PA. This day was a pretty long day especially since we were both driving. Again Paca was quite the trooper and we even saw some pretty sights once we were out of Ohio…
…Almost heaven…
Pennsylvania was pretty crazy because we spent most of the day on the turnpike and it was Monday of the long Labor Day weekend. Traffic was pretty crazy at times…
But the trip was broken up by several tunnels..
After a restful night’s sleep in Harrisburg, PA we woke up bright and early on Tuesday morning to finish our cross-country move. After only a few hours on the road we finally made it to the promised land…
Since arriving we have spent our time unpacking, making Target runs, unpacking, walking on the trails behind our place, unpacking….oh and more unpacking. Hopefully in a few more days I’ll be able to show you around our new place. Until then…
-Shannon
***No animals or human beings were harmed in the taking of these pictures…although at times the driver may or may not have swerved off the road in order to achieve these photographic masterpieces. :)
Last week was a great week for catching up with friends. It was a bit unexpected because we caught up with them at a funeral. Our campus pastor, Joe Zickafoose, from Chi Alpha at Missouri State passed away from cancer and his funeral was quite the reunion. It was very bittersweet because on one hand I was so excited to see friends I haven’t seen in over 4 years but on the other hand the circumstances were not what any of us wanted. Joe was an amazing servant and was the best at connecting with students and drawing out the best in them.
While he was at Missouri State he began taking groups of students to Scotland every year for campus outreach. He had a huge heart for campus ministry and for Scotland. About 3 or 4 years ago Joe and his family moved to Aberdeen to do campus ministry there. He had been there until recently coming back to the States for cancer treatment.
People traveled to the funeral from Scotland and from all across the US…New York, Pennsylvania and throughout Missouri. Some people who didn’t know we were in Missouri for the summer thought we came from Vancouver. I’m just thankful that we were home and able to come. I think it was quite a testimony to Joe’s life and the work God did through him that people came from all over to remember Joe and support his family.
At the funeral I realized how important my Chi Alpha days have been in my life. It was there that I really learned what freedom in worship was. It was also the place that I first played with a worship band. Even though I didn’t meet Lucas at Chi Alpha, it was the campus ministry that we were in while our relationship was growing. I have so many great memories of those times and at the funeral I was able to reconnect with some old friends.
Here is everyone from Chi Alpha who was at the funeral…this is even a couple hours after the funeral so some people had already left…
My friend Stephanie & me…Stephanie was my small group leader and we were SOAR leaders together for a summer as well…
Tracy & me…
Sevo & Lucas…
My good friend Nichole…she was a bridesmaid in our wedding and her and husband Joel just welcomed their first child into the world…Cecily…
Nichole’s other half…Joel with Lucas…
One fun part of the day was getting to meet/catch up with Dustin & Jenn Bell. Dustin and Jenn were around Chi Alpha during Lucas’ freshman year but I never really got to meet them. After graduating from Missouri State Dustin went to Regent!!! We had a lot of reminiscing to do with them naming places we both remember from Vancouver…Granville Island, Spanish Banks, Kerrisdale, London Drugs. The conversation could’ve gone on forever! It was really great to meet another couple who have gone through what we just experienced and miss. Here we are with Jenn and Dustin…
Besides catching up with everyone at the funeral, I also scheduled in some time to meet with some other friends. The night before the funeral I meet up with my friend Mandi and we spent the evening catching up at the Mudhouse. Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture. :( After the funeral I went out to the Brew Co. for dinner with my friend Kerry…
It was good to have more than an hour to catch up with her. We even had time to go to Phelps Grove Park and enjoy the evening. Later that night we meet up with some old friends at the MudLounge and talking into the night. We were able to see some people that we haven’t seen since we got married! I was able to snap some shots at the end of the night with Lindsay and Jenni, who I will always call Winnie. :) I’ve known both of these girls since we were 16 and they were two of my best friends through high school and early college. It was so great to see them again and I know that if we lived in Springfield I would definitely have to see them more often. Here is Lindsay and me…
And Winnie…
It was a day full of tears and smiles…but I’m so glad we got to be a part of it.
-Shannon
