48 Years, A Few Dogs, and a Lot of Grace

You don’t know me—yet. But if you stick around long enough, you’ll begin to see why I write about rescue dogs so often.

Because I see myself in them.

We’ve had many rescues come through our home over the years—some just stopping by on their way to forever homes, some who never left (we call that a “foster fail” and smile when we say it), and some who became family the moment they walked in. They didn’t all come to us the same way, but they all came carrying something: a history. Sometimes painful. Sometimes messy. But always worthy of love.

And that’s where our stories overlap.

I didn’t grow up in ease or comfort. I was asked to leave home at 16—not because I was reckless, but because the situation called for survival before I was ready. Like some of the dogs we’ve taken in, I had to figure things out early. I had to piece together stability from strangers, meaning from chaos, and love from whatever scraps I could find.

I was fortunate. Along the way, a few kind people showed up. They weren’t always perfectly packaged. Some didn’t even know the impact they had. But they gave me something solid to stand on—a moment of care, an act of grace. And it made all the difference.

That’s how I see the rescue journey.

They arrive timid, unsure, worn down. They don’t trust right away. But given enough time, patience, and love—they begin to transform. They soften. They shine. And if you’re lucky, they change you too.

The photo I’m sharing today is of Bailey on her 14th birthday—smiling, relaxed, and surrounded by love. We had her for seven beautiful years. She passed last year at the age of 15, but she left us as a completely different dog than the one who arrived—healthy, safe, adored.

She didn’t come to us that way. But she left that way.

And I guess that’s why I write these stories. Because I’ve lived them. I am them.

So yes, today I turn 48. Still learning. Still healing. Still grateful. And still reaching for connection.

I hope you’ll keep reading. Because these stories? They aren’t just about dogs.

They’re about what happens when love shows up—even when we think we don’t deserve it.

And if you’ve ever been loved back to life—by a person, a pet, or a moment—you already know what I mean.