Shawna Herring Blog

My blog has become a faint memory, a distant friend, a reoccuring nudge to keep documenting. I haven’t written or posted anything since before going to Haiti last fall. Today is May 21, 2012. Life hasn’t stopped for sure, I’ve just stopped sharing it on Word Press for all to see. I’ve thought about it, felt guilty for not doing it, wondered if it would affect my business and have had people ask me in person if I had ‘dropped out’ so-to-speak. The answer is no, I haven’t, but rather I’ve been living my life without the need to tell the world about it. It’s been so rich. It’s been interesting, emotional, heartbreaking, frustrating, exciting and everything else. I met the man of my dreams on October 8th, 2011 while walking through an anual community yardsale at 7:30 am. It happened over a foosball table in his driveway. Totally unexpected. For one of the first times in my life I didn’t feel the need to find a man to complete me. In fact, months earlier I had a little talk with God and told him that I was actually fine without one and if I remained single the rest of my life that was ok too. I had my girls, a succesful career and a wealth of friends. But just to put my 2 cents in I added that if He saw fit, I’d like 3 things. 1. A man of Latin culture. 2. A protector and 3. A man with a father’s heart to love my girls. Life went on. I bought my first house in July, adopted another dog, Beau, a lab-pit mix. Loved my girls and established meaningful relationships with my neighbors.
Then I went to a yard sale in sweats and a baseball cap and stopped to check out a foosball table.
“Nice shoes,” he said as I looked up to find a very handsome man standing in front of me referring to my 5 year old Diesels.
“Thanks,” I said, “How much for the table?”
“Fifty dollars.”
“I don’t have that much cash, will you take a check?” I asked.
“I don’t have any way to cash it.”
Confused but with a pounding heart I asked, “What? You don’t have a checking account? Are you incognito?”
So I made a pile of things I wanted and said that I would come back in a few hours with cash. As I walked back to the car I told my oldest daughter, “He’s cute!” I went back a few hours later, showered and dressed to shoot a wedding. Zoe was with me and I walked up to give him the $. I could tell he was nervous and we chatted for a bit and then he asked, “I’d like to see you again, can I take you out for coffee?” Immediately I said, “Sure.” 3 days later we went to dinner. 7 weeks later he asked me to marry him and on January 28th we ran off to Florida with 40 of our friends and family and said, “I do.”
Sounds crazy, I know. I mean I KNOW. I get it. I can try to convince you of this and that and how I’m really not off my rocker but the truth is, I don’t feel the need to.
Fernando is of Puerto Rican background. ~Latin Culture.
He is a retired Federal Agent and a current bodyguard to the CEO of Coca-Cola. ~Protector
He has 3 daughters of his own and loves both of mine. ~Huge Father’s Heart.
He is an amazing cook, a complete gentleman, smart as all getout, a knight in shining armor. He loves me like I have never known. My friends and family adore him. They see the difference in me. My focus has shifted. My heart is full and the need to have other people’s approval and affirmation has deteriorated tremendously. I’ve been off the bloggin grid for the past 7 months but I think I’m ready to venture back in. Not to gain attention or clients or comments but rather to share about how good life can be when you let go of the need to fullfill insecurities and rather learn to love yourself and let good things come to you.
All in God’s timing. Let go. Trust. Love. Believe.