• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Big Mama

the big mama blog

  • Home
  • Meet Melanie
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Books
    • *New* On The Bright Side
    • *New* Piper and Mabel
    • Church of the Small Things
    • Nobody’s Cuter Than You
    • The Antelope in the Living Room
    • Sparkly Green Earrings
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Melanie Podcast
You are here: Home / About Me

About Me

My name is Melanie and, in some strange twist of fate, I’m also known as Big Mama because I started this blog in July of 2006 when my daughter, Caroline, was not quite three years old and I was in the process of convincing her that BIG girls use the potty and BIG girls don’t have pacifiers, thus she thought BIG was the highest compliment in the land and began referring to me as BIG MAMA. She is now seventeen years old and a senior in high school, but I can’t talk about it or I will need to curl up into the fetal position and rage at the passage of time.

When I began writing this blog I thought it would last a week and eventually fall into the category of things I have started and not finished. It is a lengthy and distinguished list because I am very disciplined and task oriented, except not at all and essentially have the attention span of a feral cat on cold medicine.

However, I told my best friend, Gulley, about it. Then I told my husband. And here I am fourteen years later. No one is more shocked by this turn of events than me.

Anyway, this is about me trying to live life with some semblance of grace and dignity while finding plenty of time to watch a lot of shows on Netflix, waiting for things to go on sale at Anthropologie and trying every beauty product I hear about because aging is for real.

I am a child of the 70s, a teenager of the 80s, and a college student of the 90s. This explains my love of bad T.V., novelty rap music, and the denim vest in my closet with which I cannot part.

I married my true love, Perry, in August of 1997 and gave birth to my other true love, Caroline, in August of 2003.

August is a big month for me.

I’ve lived in the great state of Texas all of my life. There is nowhere else I’d rather call home. And I’m a proud graduate of Texas A&M, class of ’93.

Except I didn’t actually graduate until 1994 because I stayed to experience one more football season. Because I am dedicated to great causes like that.

I worked as a pharmaceutical sales rep for ten years and finally, mercifully, retired in April of 2007 after way too many years of trying to intelligently answer questions about the pharmacodynamics of various medications and hauling Chinese food around in my car in a futile attempt to appease nurses. Since then, I have spent most of my time in my car driving my child to all her various social and sporting events.

That’s who I am. Feel free to stick around.

Oh and I guess I should add that I’ve written three New York Times bestselling books, Sparkly Green Earrings, The Antelope in the Living Room, and Nobody’s Cuter Than You. I’m also the author of Church of the Small Things, On the Bright Side, Everyday Holy and Fearless Faith. Feel free to email me at [email protected] with any other questions that I haven’t already covered here.

contact me

Primary Sidebar

Who is Melanie?

Melanie ShankleMy name is Melanie and, in some strange twist of fate, I’m also known as Big Mama because I started this blog in July of 2006 when my daughter, Caroline, was not quite three years old and I was in the process of convincing her that BIG girls use the potty and BIG girls don’t have pacifiers, thus she thought BIG was the highest compliment in the land and began referring to me as BIG MAMA.Read More

Sign up here!

Which is your pleasure?

Categories

Events Books The Big Boo Cast Diary Fashion Friday

The Latest on Instagram

The fish we caught today were all bigger than my h The fish we caught today were all bigger than my hat and, frankly, that’s hard to do.
A few nights ago, Perry told me to come look at th A few nights ago, Perry told me to come look at the sky just as the sun had set. This picture doesn’t do it justice, but we couldn’t believe how bright Venus and Jupiter were next to the moon in the dusky pink-blue sky. In full disclosure, we didn’t know which planets they were until I went inside and googled it because we are amateur astronomers at best. ⁣
⁣
Anyway, I took a quick photo because I wanted to capture it. And over the last several days, I keep thinking about those planets and how God spoke them into existence. We live in a culture that often wants to make God smaller in an effort to make him more palatable or relatable, but I find lately that I am most comforted by his magnitude and his holiness. When I look at this photo it’s a tangible reminder that he holds all things together even when there are days it feels like things are falling apart. ⁣
⁣
When we pray for peace, we’re praying to the one who placed the stars in the sky and knows them by name. When we search for wisdom, we’re looking to the one who sees all things. When we need joy, we’re asking the one who created laughter. When we face circumstances that seem impossible, we’re calling on the one whose robe fills the throne room of heaven. When we have a battle ahead of us, we have a rider called Faithful and True who fights for us. ⁣
⁣
So lift your head and remember that the keeper of the stars doesn’t overlook a single detail of your life. It’s in his hands, right next to Venus and Jupiter. ✨
Mabel believes patrolling the fence line is her fu Mabel believes patrolling the fence line is her full time job. And she takes it seriously. 🐾💕
🌟🤠𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗘𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬🤠🌟⁣
⁣🌟COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED AND A WINNER WAS SELECTED🌟
Y’all. Rodeo Season is indeed a thing and if you want to do it right, you are going to need some fabulous boots. I’m so excited to partner with the girls @frauleinboots to giveaway the following to one lucky winner:⁣
⁣
✨ one pair of Fraulein boots (winner’s choice)⁣
✨ a Fraulein t-shirt⁣
✨ a Fraulein bandana⁣
✨ a Fraulein rope hat⁣
⁣
🌟Here’s how you enter for a chance to win:⁣
1. Follow @melanieshankle and @frauleinboots 
2. Like this post⁣
3. Tag a friend in the comments (one per comment) Every comment counts as a separate entry. ⁣
⁣
Giveaway closes at noon central time on Friday 2/10/23 and ONE winner will be selected at random using a computer generator. Winner will be notified through DM and announced in stories. ⁣
⁣
𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗟𝗨𝗖𝗞! 🌟🤠
Had the best time last night speaking at the @fede Had the best time last night speaking at the @federationtexasaggiemoms dinner. So grateful for all they do for Texas A&M students. ⁣
⁣
There’s not much better than being in a room full of Aggies. Thanks and Gig’em. 👍🏻❤️
2022 was a year of seeing so much of God’s goodn 2022 was a year of seeing so much of God’s goodness. Like most years, there were highs and lows, but also so much joy and laughter with the people I love the most. 💕⁣
⁣
We’re ready for you, 2023! 🎉🥂⁣
⁣
“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.⁣
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord.⁣
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16: 5-8

The Latest on Twitter

Melanie Shankle @bigmama ·

Well, that was anti-climatic.

Reply on Twitter 1612659662435803139 Retweet on Twitter 1612659662435803139 1 Like on Twitter 1612659662435803139 43 Twitter 1612659662435803139
Melanie Shankle @bigmama ·

Wow, Georgia! What a comeback!!

Reply on Twitter 1609414435394965506 Retweet on Twitter 1609414435394965506 Like on Twitter 1609414435394965506 48 Twitter 1609414435394965506

Follow on Twitter

 



 

 

 

 

 



 

Footer

Stay Up to Date

Which is your pleasure?

  • About Me
  • Speaking
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · Website by Wordpress Barista

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

cokesbury-buttonfc-buttonlifewayMardelTyndale DirectBAMWalmartiTunes

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

iTunes

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

lifewayMardelBAM

Select an online retailer below.

Book Retailers
Book RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook Retailers

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

cokesbury-buttonfc-buttonlifewayMardelTyndale DirectBAMWalmart

Order Yours Today!

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

cokesbury-buttonfc-buttonlifewayMardelTyndale DirectBAMWalmart

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Book Retailers

Book RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook Retailers

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.