Photo Caption:First photo is Brandon’s first day of being a dad almost 12 years ago!
Second pic was the first day of school for Brandon and the kids!
Tell us a little about your Dad and what they mean to you.:Brandon isn’t just a dad, he’s THE DAD. The Dad that models integrity. The Dad that teaches his children respect. The Dad, who—even when it’s ridiculously difficult to do—shows compassion, courage, and hope.
Brandon’s journey into Dad-greatness began at 22 years of age when our first son, Ryder, was born. Then came, Lyla, and next, Jaxon. Though he could have made a lot of dumb, 22-year-old decisions (which are totally fine to make), Brandon instead pursued a degree in Dad Wizardry, which—at least I’m told—is the highest level one can reach in Dadhood.
Fast-forward through 10 years of fast and furious family life and—through a lot of hard work, love and for sure, a little bit of luck—we had already found our ‘dream home’, one such home that Brandon—though he was too humble to boast about—was beyond proud of. Nevertheless, after years of trying different careers, Brandon agreed to sell our prized residential-wonderland and lead us into our next adventure—one which involved him wearing a back-pack for the first time in close to fifteen years.
So here we are... Brandon has worked his butt off getting good grades, all while making sure his family has felt loved and supported. He finished his second year of college this spring, a third load of laundry this morning, and, this very second, is simultaneously cleaning the kitchen while making the kids snacks, which are basically second breakfasts. The man can multitask! ...Oh... What’s this? ... He just brought me a cup of honey-lemon water! What a dear! I honestly didn’t even see him making it... But, that’s really what makes Brandon so wonderful. And between us, it doesn’t hurt that he’s super sexy... but I’m not sure if that makes him a better Dad or not... At least to me it does... But for real, Brandon’s beauty shines from the inside out, and it infects us all.
In short, I’m so grateful our children have an example of what pursuing your dreams, stepping out of the box, having courage, and working hard for what you want looks like. And those things are hardly ever glamorous... Just last week, Brandon enlisted a few friends and family members to help remove our rotting deck. We have a bit of a mess to clean up now, and though I will refrain from jumping up and down screaming, “Pick us! Pick us!” we truly would be so grateful for this new deck—and I cannot think of a more deserving Dad to surprise than Brandon. (And, with how things currently look outside our back door, I’m sure he would agree too.)