Hey, there! I’m Jen.

First things first, I’m an introverted Enneagram 1, so I find “small talk” social interactions slightly uncomfortable and absolutely exhausting. Still, I crave connection. So I write.

My family is my world. My mama is smart, driven and beautiful [inside and out]. My daddy is generous, loyal and stubborn [I get it honest]. My brother is ambitious, humble and kind [just like the song]. And of all the good decisions he’s made, the best one was in ‘09 when he gave me the sister I never knew I needed, followed by three incredible nieces whom I love and adore.

In January of 2012, in the most unlikely place, I met a man I never expected who made me feel like I’d never felt. Within two months of that first shared smile, I convinced him to kiss me; a year after that last first kiss, we were engaged; and just 3 months after he asked me for forever, we were married.

Since then, life has been….

beautiful, but not without burden.

full of love, but also laden with heartache.

not so perfectly imperfect.

In 2015, after a long and complicated pregnancy, we welcomed our twin girls into the world. Alexis Rae and Emalynn Kelly were a combined 9 lbs + 5 oz of pure perfection. But — just 31 hours after our first picture as a family of four — Jesus called our Emmy girl to her eternal home with Him. We were prepared, but not ready. I learned what pure joy and utter devastation look like in less time than it takes to drive from coast to coast. I live with my heart divided between heaven and earth…the present and eternity. I truly love this life I’m living, but live with anticipation of the incredible reunion I know is to come. Every day is one day closer.

When A(Lexi)s was just 6-months old, we made another big life-shift. We packed up all of the belongings from the little farm where we started our lives together and moved our family to Kansas. In an unexpected turn of events, we were able to purchase my Papa’s farmstead, where we now have the incredible privilege of raising our girls on the same land my own mama grew up on.

Yes, I said girls (plural). Because HE is good and faithful always, and in September of 2018 we were #blessed with the arrival of our third little girl, Lakyn Lee. She became #6 of Nana and Papa’s girl gang.

Other noteworthy facts about me:

I love rainy days, iced lattes, audio books and really great graphic tees.

I could spend hours wandering the aisles of an old book store or huddled in the corner of a local coffee shop.

I am a dog mom [x4], aspiring “ranch wife” and wannabe minimalist.

I am both a homebody and adventure seeker.

I can feel completely “me” on a busy city sidewalk or a quiet country road; breathing the crisp mountain air or squishing my toes in the sand.

I am an avid advocate of all things therapy, quiet time alone and nights out with the girls — Amen for all types of #selfcare.

I hear God’s voice most clearly when I am still, which doesn’t happen nearly enough in this season. But I rest in knowing He is still there, even in the midst of my chaos.

My walk through life, marriage and motherhood has been beautifully blessed, but also quietly complicated. I say quietly because I truly feel there are some conversations the collective “we” don’t have enough. The hard stuff. The messy stuff. The stuff that makes us feel alone and isolated. And that’s why I’m here, pursuing this passion — despite my introverted 1-ness.

Writing is my safe space; my sacred space. I believe that shared experiences [especially the hard ones] bind us together, but only if we’re brave enough to bring them to light. So, on these pages, it is my hope that you will find connection at the intersection of authenticity and imperfection.

Much love,