My Hubby

I know that everyone thinks that their husband is the "best is the world", BUT I think mine is "THE BEST" . . . . he is pretty amazing!! I have been blessed to have been married to him for 11.5 years now. We dated for 4 years prior to getting married. We have been together for almost half of our lives at this point (and we are YOUNG!!). Everyday, I look him in the eyes and ask him, "how did we get this happy??"

We met when Shannon came to IN to see his family at holidays and summer breaks. I was friends with his cousin and her family. Their home was like a second home to me in those days! So naturally, I knew her family and extended family. Well her family extended all the way to Virginia. It's funny how the Lord works out those details!!! Thanks, B family! The Lord used you back in those days to bring this young gal and guy together forever!! I will forever be grateful for those precious moments of being welcomed in your home . . . on what always seemed to be "cleaning day!!!" HAHA!!

When we started dating, it was long distance. I was 16 and he was 17. I lived in IN and he lived in VA. He was a SR and I was a JR in high school. I had been a Christian for a few years and he was newly saved. We talked on the phone a lot . . . but not too much!! Neither of us wanted to seem too eager!! PLUS we couldn't afford the phone bills. Even though we were long distance for 2.5 years, we still managed to see each other about once a month. I counted the days from one time of seeing him to the next. It seemed like I was always counting days!! Sometimes I would fly out to see him and most of the time he would drive 10 hours to see me!!! We did all the same fun dating things as other couples. Movies, dinner, parks, walks along the river, hikes in the woods, walking the mall, etc. I remember when I lived at home. I would walk into the door from work and the first thing out of my mouth was, "Did Shannon call???" He was my best friend!!

He was a friend like I had never had before. He was patient, kind, gentle, not easily angered, humble and not boastful . . . . sound familiar?? That was and is my best friend.

After all these years together . . . he still makes me laugh everyday!!! He is hilarious and he reminds me of that often!! He has grown to be an awesome man of God and a wonderful father to my children. I can't believe we have four kiddos!! Family means the world to us. We want to change the world by impacting our kids. They are already awesome people to be around!! They love the Lord with all their hearts. The main reason for this is . . . their Dad!!

He has an amazing relationship with the Lord. He has been blessed with so many gifts and talents. I am blessed to call him my best friend!!

We have been through some of the toughest moments of our lives together in the past year . . . the new job "YEAH" . . . the new job "OH NO!!" . . . the new job "what have we got ourselves into??" the new job . . . gone . . . for the last 8 months . . . He has been unemployed!! I have seen him go through a lot during this time, but the Lord had remained faithful. Shannon reminds me all the time of where we could be . . . where we are . . . and the blessings we receive daily!!! We are blessed!

Today, Shannon got a job as an adjunct professor at a local Christian College. It isn't enough to pay all the bills yet, but we are thrilled. This is what he has been wanting to do for a long time. We are praying that it turns into something more permanent with more pay. Or maybe the Lord will use another avenue to bring full time work . . . we don't know?!?!?! BUT we are standing on his promises!! He has not left us yet . . . and He never will!

I just want to say that I am sooo proud of Shannon! He has been through so much, yet he holds his head high with the blessed assurance of Christ's love. I want the world to know that he is an AMAZING person. He is full of wisdom, integrity, and God's grace. He is thankful for the little things in life . . . and I . . . . am thankful for him!!

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO??

We have been doing a lot to stay busy . . . besides NOT sleeping! Here are a FEW of the highlights.


We have all been adjusting to having a new member of the family! The older children think it's so cool to have a baby in the house and the younger one . . . he knows what it means to get into trouble for being careless around his infant sister. He is adjusting too!! Cater loves his baby sis though and just wishes she could wrestle like him and Daddy and Camden.


Carley and Camden have been in sports this past spring. Carley did girls fast pitch softball. It was her first time playing a team sport and she LOVED it! She did awesome too. She started out a little nervous when she would get up to bat. But by the end of the season she was hitting like a pro and making it to base!! She wants to play in the fall, so look out girls . . . here she comes!!



Camden played basketball and Shannon coached his team. Camden did AWESOME!! He was the tallest kid in the league and had the second highest score of any of the players in the entire league!! He is definitely a talented athlete! He made the all stars team. His team WON against the kid that had the highest scoring points for the entire season! Camden did awesome!!


We have had LOTS of homeschool events that took place at the end of the school year. At our talent show Carley played a piano solo, "This Little Light of Mine." She did awesome!


We had tragedy strike our family about 2 months ago. Shannon's brother Brian's wife Christy had an anyerism. She is 28 years young and is 30 weeks pregnant with their first baby. She is on the road to recovery. This has taken up a significant amount of time for us. We will be going to VA to help out the family for appx 6 weeks or so when she is released from rehab. We know that with God's help and healing power she will make a full recovery.


In May we celebrated the life of Camden Andrew Hogan for the seventh time!! HE is such a joy!! His friends came t the park and we had cake, presents and games!! He was so happy to be the center of attention!!


Then yesterday we celebrated the life of Carter Scott Hogan for the third time!! What a sweet blessing he is in our family! He kept calling himself "The Birthday Boy" all day. Then when he woke up the next day, he reminded us that he is STILL "The Birthday Boy!" He makes us laugh everyday!!!


That was a little of the highlights! I hope to post at least once a week now! Caydence likes to watch the computer screen while I type!! Thanks for your patience!!

Caydence is THREE months old now!!

These are by best girls . . . Carley and Caydence

I know I have not posted in almost three months . . . but I haven't had any sleep eitherand life just seems to get busier and busier!!

Caydence is such an amazingly sweet baby! She is pretty easy going and seems to be going with the flow for the most part. She still wakes up 2-3 times per night, so I walk around in a sort of permanent FOG!! I am always tired!! . . . the woes of a new mommy . . . I think we forget how tiring it can be. God sort of tricks us mommies into doing it again!!!! PLUS I think that the more kiddos I have the more tired I have been with each new baby!! I know it is but a short season!! The Lord know we can't handle it for too long. That is why "it goes by so quickly!" Here are some pics of my newest sweetheart!