Welcome

Hi, I’m Aileen

Welcome to my blog! Whether we’re lifelong friends or new friends, I count it a privilege to connect with you in this space.

If you’re a new friend, here are some things you may want to know about me:

• At my deepest core, I belong whole-heartedly to the God who created and redeemed me. As God’s grateful girl, I’ve spent a lifetime trying to fully comprehend “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Eph. 3:18)
• My family is my world. Our kids are scattered across the country, and we take every opportunity to be together. We’ve found grand-parenting to be the frosting of life!
• My husband and I spent the first 14 years of our marriage at a residential children’s home in Oklahoma, and it was the most formative chapter of our lives. We were houseparents for most of those years, parenting from 10-12 children at any given time. Several of those kids lived with us for years and are still a part of our family. Perhaps my heart for vulnerable children stems from generational pain, as two of my grandparents were abandoned as children.
• My happy place is a cabin in the mountains of Wyoming. As a third generation Wyoming native, the scent of pine and sage has seeped deep into my DNA.

People often ask me why I blog. For several years I was largely confined to my home, caring for my mother. My blog was a lifeline to the outside world. Now Mama is home with Jesus, and I’m finding I still need to write. Sometimes I write through a personal struggle, and the discipline of finding the right words helps me sort my own heart and mind. Sometimes I write from a deep well of gratitude for the daily gift of God’s grace. Sometimes I can’t wait to tell you about a fantastic book or a place that takes my breath away. But mostly I write because life is better shared, and I love that geography does not limit community. 

So welcome, Friend! If you’re new here, drop me a line and introduce yourself.