Coming Real Soon: Casa de Calderon!

{From the Desk of Shannon Elizabeth}



"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." -Helen Keller, The Open Door

 

 

Life lately has been all about taking risks.

 

BIG risks.

 

But we take them. We've always taken them. Remember that one time we moved to New York City with only one guaranteed salary out the gate or the time we both were employed by the same company & decided we were going to move back to Florida whether they supported it or not without a clear backup plan?? Or how about that time I gave up my job in order to chase my dreams with no real way to predict our success?

 

Yep, that pretty much sums us up in a nutshell. But I wouldn't want it any other way with any other one. And now, in less than one week, we are beginning a new chapter as husband & wife. Next week we will become homeowners!

 

I am so excited I can't contain myself. I am so uncertain I can't sleep at night. I am so emotional I'm brought to tears. I am so stressed out I've been putting things off until "later". I am so happy I can't take it.

 

...We began the journey late last year when we came across a house on Zillow I just HAD to go see in person. I'd been searching for months on end to just see what was out there and when this house popped up in my email, I knew it was THE one. It was the first house we had ever walked through & we immediately moved ourselves in. We had to have that house.

 

We joked a little as we exclaimed it was "so us" to put an offer on the first house we ever went to see. Maybe it was because I looked every single day since before we got married to see if a new house came on the market or maybe it was because we were ready. Maybe we just knew what we wanted or maybe it was because it was just "so us". Either way, we did it. We put our offer in and we lost.

 

I was distraught. I couldn't imagine us living anywhere else. I couldn't imagine bringing our unborn children home to any other house. All I could think about was this other family moving into OUR home & taking over the space I had created for my family {in my head, of course}. It hurt. It just wasn't fair & I couldn't shake the thoughts.

 

After many "if only we had..", two weeks had passed & we had given up on our home search {imagine that! lost out on our first offer & we were done. who'd want to go through those emotions time & again?!}. But then one night I decided to pull out the laptop & do a little searching. I'd "just browse" I told myself. Next thing I know, we're making plans to go see a model home & we were filled with excitement all over again. And then on New Year's Eve, we made it official. We signed the dotted line. She'd be ours by the end of May! {almost one year to our Wedding Anniversary}

 

And so it began.

The ground breaking. The foundation laying. The block building. The framing. The roofing. The dry wall hanging. The finishing touches. All of a sudden we have a house. A house we'll make into a home.

 

Our home.
 

I wouldn't say we know exactly what we've gotten ourselves into but I can tell you we're excited! We're excited to finally call a place "HOME".  We're excited to continue building our life together & we'll be excited to start our family here. The icing on the cake? We can't imagine this journey with anyone else by our side.

And so, I'll leave you with this... someone recently asked for my advice regarding a life changing decision & I could only speak from my personal experiences. If you continue to do the same things, you must expect the same results. For us, the greater the risk, the greater the opportunity. So, if you've been on the fence & can't decide whether to jump on an opportunity, set all your fears aside. Take a chance & you'll be surprised by the doors you'll open. It's totally worth it!

 

Jenna Marink

J - Jesus Lover

E - Empathetic

N - Noble

N - Nurturing

A - Authentic

Jenna.

Oh my, where do I begin? I should probably start by stating Jenna is one of my absolute favorite people in the whole entire universe. Yes, whole entire.

{My favorite pic of her}



I've had the privilege of knowing {sweet} Jenna her entire life & most of mine. In fact, I even had the privilege to welcome her into this crazy world the day she made her first appearance. Our Mom told us recently I wasn't all too impressed with her when she first came home & quickly inquired when we could bring her back to the hospital. If only I had the power to go back in time to advise my younger self, I'd tell her that Jenna is one of the best things God has ever given me & she'd be the one I'd confide in most, the one I'd laugh & cry with most & the one I'd call my {Best Friend} for the rest of my life.

{The day I met Jenna}

If you know Jenna then you know she is the best kind of friend to have. Her huge heart is made of pure gold & her free spirit is contagious. She will be your biggest supporter & devoted confidant {but she won't pick up the phone & order a pizza for delivery for you. Don't even ask.}

{Standing in front of Mt. Rainier when we lived on opposite coasts}



For those who don't know, Jenna & I are sisters & about two & a half years apart. I'm older. It may not appear that way given our current seasons in life {she got married first, has kids, goes to bed WAY earlier than I do} but the secret's out. She my little sis & I wouldn't want it any other way.

{Jenna & her husband, Nick}

Many people have told me over the years they feel like Jenna looks up to me. What I don't think they realize is I look up to her in many ways. As aforementioned, she is a free spirit. I am a "by-the-books" kind of gal. She is a "spur-of-the-moment" decision maker. I am a "plan-it-out" & wait until the moment is just right believer. She is too trusting. I am a skeptic. She has been described as the "fun one". I've been described as the "serious one". {Do you see where I'm going with this?}

These traits are quite arguably mostly innate & I embrace our differences but I've always admired her qualities & wish I could be more like her.

{Breaking it down at a family wedding}

Jenna & I have always shared a closeness many do not understand. We joke often how we should have been twins. We finish each other's sentences. We know exactly what the other is thinking. We say the same things at the exact same time {and I'm talking off the wall things we could not have possibly planned to say}. And so, if I didn't have Jenna, half of me would be missing...

{Jenna & Nick's Rehearsal Dinner}

 

So what's the scoop on Jen? She has made me the proud Godmother of two beautiful children. She is quite possibly the best mother I have ever known. Her children come first & I wouldn't expect it to be any different. I can only hope & pray I will be half the mother she is to my unborn children.

{Cohban & Maddie Lu's Dedication Day}

She just had to pick the one college I absolutely despise for her studies. {I guess it makes for a fun Thanksgiving weekend especially when the Gators show the Seminoles what's up.}

{Jenna & two of her best friends from college}



She is a chocolate fanatic {she emptied me out after Valentine's Day}. I'm pretty sure if she didn't have a baby, she'd need a 12-step program for coffee. Don't forget the hazelnut! DO NOT {AND I REPEAT} DO NOT TOUCH OR EVEN LOOK AT HER ARMPITS. You may get hurt. Her house isn't always tidy but she fills her home with love. Her laundry isn't always caught up but she keeps her children warm. She writes a lot of stuff down but never seems to be able to find the list. She has a lot going on but somehow manages to keep it all together.

Isn't it funny how you can feel so much like someone and yet be so different? I think that's what I love most.

 

{Catching the bouquet at Mom & Paul's Wedding. Mom's only rule was "neither of my daughter's can catch the bouquet". Oops! We both did}

 



And so, I have to leave you with this... Jenna is the perfect partner for The Busy Bee. Heck, we've been partners all along. She brings a sense of lightheartedness to the mix & knows how to relate to our clients. She has an eye for design & continues to surprise me with her talents. She remembers every little detail without having to write it down & listens with the intent to understand, not to reply. She cares about the quality of the work she produces & I continuously see her go above & beyond for her clients. She is a hard worker & passionate about her trade. She makes me want to go to work every day. Yep! I love her!