Throughout this site, you may see my name spelled “Eibhlin.”

Legally, that was my name for awhile, starting during the early 1990s, when I was struggling to make a marriage work. I guess I thought that changing the spelling to reflect my Irish roots… it might help?

Of course, it didn’t. Changing my name didn’t make me any happier, or “good enough” for my then-husband.

Instead, it shows how confused – and perhaps desperate –  I was, at that time.

Though I eventually agreed to a divorce, my terms were firm; I wouldn’t leave until my son (our youngest) completed high school.

And so I did. It wasn’t easy.

Finally, after my son’s graduation, and without a lawyer to represent me, I signed the divorce papers my husband placed before me. The marriage was finally over.

But even after that – mostly for convenience, I guess – I kept the Eibhlin spelling, even when I married again, this time to a man who loves me unconditionally. We are ridiculously happy, even after nearly 20 years together.

Looking back at my previous marriage, the contrast couldn’t be more dramatic.

Now – in 2026 – it’s time to shed that name and the baggage that accompanied it. It’s time to be “Eileen” again.

That’s who I am. Who I always was… underneath, anyway.

However, a lot of paperwork is still involved… driver’s license, passport, automobile records, insurance forms, and more. So, I’m using the Eileen name where I can, but – yes – it will take time to change the spelling on the many places it appears, here and online.