My name is Shannon Considine, and I’m a 32-year-old mother, wife, and digital media nerd. I am on hiatus from my advertising career and still calculating my next moves all the while a full-time mama. I have one son, Liam, who is two, and our daughter Claire is due in early fall of this year.
My Backbone
For college, I headed out of my hometown of Eastpointe (and by “out” I mean northwest about 30 miles) and became a Golden Grizzly. At age 17, I permanently moved out of my parents’ home despite being only 45 minutes away. I wanted to embrace all of what college could give me. I earned an education that steered me into an incredible career, and I also met my girls, my future bridesmaids (who are some of the most special, bad-ass women I’ve ever known) all from a commonly known “commuter school.” I will argue strongly against anyone who claims you cannot get a real “college experience” being local to Michigan and going to Oakland University.
My Heart
I met my husband Billy in the summer of 2008. The “we met at a bar” story seemed a little un-\interesting back then. Where else did you meet people? However, looking out at today, app setups are the norm for finding love. I now cherish my more rare story, and I’m grateful I found my love the “old fashioned” way.
I was a 21-year-old college undergrad, who had her heart broken a few months before. It was a night out with my girlfriends getting our ‘drink on.’ We were at Buffalo Wild Wings, nothing too crazy, but little did I know an incredibly good-looking fella had seen me walking back to my seat and decided right then and there that he had to meet me. He was out with his own boys, and he left all of them to say “hello” to little ole’ me. Even with all my other girls there, he asked to pull up a chair and never went back to his guys. His genuine yet outgoing personality mixed with his super protective nature was something I would never be without again.
I moved into a very real and mature love quickly; he proposed in the summer of 2009. We were blessed with a gorgeous October wedding day on October 8, 2010. Both of us were the first to get hitched among our friend groups, and this made for one grand PARTY!
Through the years together, one main theme has always stayed true: the crave for change that we both love and need. We stay true to our instincts, and it’s what makes us an unstoppable duo even when we drive each other crazy in the process.
The New Us
About six years in, Billy and I realized we wanted kiddos and a full house of chaos. Seeing that first positive test…ahh…such an unforgettable feeling that you mamas know well! There was that immediate switch in the way we viewed and lived life from then on.
Liam Alexander blessed us earth side on June 9, 2017, and our little Claire Marie is due this first week of September (2019). Parenthood is our biggest blessing and, by far, the sexiest trait on my husband (if I do say so myself)! This is where my passion for writing has returned. There is so much to share and to learn.
A Career-First Lady…Until I Wasn’t
After earning my Bachelor’s, I was thrown into a job market at the peak of our first adult recession. This was incredibly scary for a 21-year-old who was living on her own, unsure of her next steps in everything. Thanks to my sorority network (ADPI alum here!), I landed my first corporate/entry-level job in the automotive world. I learned valuable skills of professional work etiquette, and it opened doors for me to my true career field. A few years later, while driving to our rehearsal dinner, I got the call! I had landed my dream job within an advertising start-up. Talk about perfect life timing!
The ad world is aggressive but also fun every day! I was able to grow up professionally, work alongside friends my own age, enjoy beer cart Fridays, travel for business pitches, and represent brands like General Motors, Samsung, Kraft, and Mattel. It was such an irreplaceable life experience.
After my maternity leave with Liam, I went back to my office and tried to maintain a normal routine. However, the commute from my office in downtown Detroit to my home in Macomb Township was wearing hard on me. Simultaneously, the care solution of our parents shifted when our grandparents on both sides started to become ill. Our list of daycares were not feeling right, and, at some point after three months back to work, we made the huge decision that I (the breadwinner for all of our relationship thus far) would step back and stay home. It was a huge shock to my network of colleagues and my close friends. I still have no doubt it was the right call at that point in time for our family.
Reality Check
I am in the process of finding my own interests, ones that don’t solely revolve around mom tasks or household duties. Being honest and vulnerable with myself, I know I’ve felt a bit off-track lately. I toggle between wanting to stay sharp in my profession yet also being present in those moments for my child (with another one coming in hot here soon). The mom guilt mixed with the equal footing that I desire is a mental tug of war.
After following Detroit Moms Blog for some time, I have really connected with the truths and perspectives shared. I already believe that having this outlet is just what this mama needs to help balance her worlds. I love providing content (that’s the digital nerd in me), so tying this along with mama-hood is pure GOLD. I am truly ecstatic to help contribute to this beautiful and powerful community.
