Healing doesn’t always bark. Sometimes it leans.
I’m a retired, disabled veteran learning how to rebuild a life after service, divorce, and the loss of the structure that once held everything together. I retired from the military in 2022—the same day I finalized a marriage I never should have been in. By lunch, both chapters were officially closed. What followed was quieter and harder: figuring out who I was without the uniform, without the routine, and without the systems that had defined my adult life.
I’m also a parent to a teenage boy on the autism spectrum, where consistency and predictability matter deeply. While I was learning how to start over, I still needed to be steady—for him. Rebuilding structure hasn’t been optional; it’s been necessary.
That’s where Alfie comes in.
Alfie is a goofball with a serious job. He’s currently in the early stages of training to become a therapy and service dog, and we’re learning together—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of patience. He isn’t a cure or a shortcut. He’s a presence. A reminder that support doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful.
This site exists to document our journey: the training, the setbacks, the small wins, and the quiet work of building a life that fits who we are now. It’s a space for anyone navigating disability, transition, caregiving, or starting over later than they planned.
We’re not polished. We’re not finished.
But we’re showing up.
Welcome.
That's Our Alfie 