As a arrive to the fire I notice that it’s quiet still but I know many are still coming. I pull up a chair and start chatting with our friendly hostess. I’ve got a story to share with her and we talk and then she invites me to share with the rest as they start filtering in.
Hi all, I’m glad to be here and honored to be asked to share. I published this original post on my blog site about one week ago and wrote it about one week before that. Since the writing my husband and I have worked through initial adjustments of him being home and also enjoyed a 5 day trip to Jamaica, just the 2 of us.
So what’s my connection here? I am Beth’s (oldest?) niece.

My dad and her husband Tom are brothers. I am her daughter Allie’s sponsor in baptism, I dabble in some Mary Kay and she and I both graduated from River Forest as Directors of Christian Education. We get together and can easily talk for hours. But it’s Beth. You all know as well as I that she is a stranger to no one. She changed my life when she started dating the fun uncle who was always playing around with us kids. Because of her I was inspired to look into the DCE ministry, which it turns out is a great fit for me and my gifts.
Thanks for having me and I hope you enjoy learning a bit about the Brinkmann clan; specifically our big life challenge this past year.
Deployment in the Rearview Mirror- Original Post
Enjoy more of Jaime’s work at http://www.Jaimebrinkmann.com