About
Welcome to THE NEST!
Come on in, grab a cup of tea, and have a seat. We have a lot to talk about.
First, let me introduce you to the people behind the scenes.
The Family:
Photos soon
SHEILA: 53, the mama. Currently working full-time at a large public hospital and loving every minute of it. I sometimes drive for DoorDash and I’m about to start my prerequisite classes for a CPC certification. I have a BA in English and I love writing and reading. Someday, I’ll finish that novel.
ERIC: 52, the daddy. Sheila’s husband of 29 years. Works for a publishing company in Indianapolis. Has his BA in Theatre; and an MA in Interpersonal Communication. He’s recently started painting and he’s really good. He seems to be even better at buying comic books.
JORDAN: 26, our oldest son. He’s pursuing a degree in secondary ed at a nearby school. He streams on Twitch, so let me know if you want that link. He’s adopted my grand-dog Virgil.
ALEK: 24, our youngest son. He’s a dancer with the Louisville Ballet and still comes home when he can. No pets; just plants. He also streams on Twitch, so let me know if you want that link too.
RAVYNN: 21, our oldest daughter. She’s a full-time student at that same nearby school. She’s pre-med, intending a career in pathology. She’s got plans!
WHISPER: 19, the baby. She graduated high school and took off across the country. Her major seems to be a little in flux, but she’s get there.
I, Sheila, am a wife and mother, just like many other women you see every day. The difference falls, I expect, in the aesthetic that I wrap myself in.
You see… I’m goth. Yes, one of them. And my husband is as well. We no longer dye our hair black or paint our nails black, but we do dress most often in head-to-toe black. We, like many of our contemporaries, find an elusive beauty in the darker things that many (normal) people walk straight past without even noticing. We do enjoy a curious fascination with skulls, bats, and spiders – and we share this with our children.
I won’t lie; we have gotten many different responses to our parenting style. Strangers [even family] will criticize for the way we look and the hobbies we enjoy [like picnicking in cemeteries], or even for assumptions that they make about our lifestyle. Still, we know we have amazing kids – they’re respectful and polite. They’re the kids you want to have and the friends you want your kids to have. Yes, they acted up sometimes; yes, they got in trouble and were grounded; yes, they fought – they’re kids, not robots. But all-in-all, I think we’ve done a good job and I firmly believe our connection with the goth community has influenced some parenting choices in a very positive direction.
Also playing a major role in our family was BATS! MEOW… a children’s clothing store that Sheila created and ran while the kids were small. Now that they’re big and we have no need for alternative children’s clothing, we’re working on rebranding. Still BATS! MEOW…, but with a new focus.
As of August 2021, all of the children have gone to work or to school. Two are out of state; two are out of town; none are at home.
I am an empty nester.
Let’s see how this goes…
