Okay so, this could start off a little heavy (oh hey, Cher again) I am not sure if any of you know, but three years ago this April, my brother Scott lost his battle with depression. It was the beginning of my friendship with Hailey and I barely knew her or Brady at that time. I was just coming once a week to take pictures of her belly when she was pregnant with Waverly.
In the meantime, I have felt like Brady was a big brother figure to me. Not JUST because I have spent lots of time with the two of them, but because I have learned a lot from him. I have watched his self-control. That alone could be its own series. Five kids crying, two need diaper changes, someone is at the door visiting with Hailey, food on the stove.. And the guy just stays so calm and casual. I sit there in disbelief.. Waiting for an explosion that NEVER comes.
I remember one time we were talking about coffee and creamer and for some reason he came downstairs and apologized to me because he felt that he was seeming protective of the amount of creamer being used (even though I drink black) in case he may have hurt my feelings. Like…. Wha.. who… whe…huh??
Fast Forward to… currently. I am sort of a nerd and I have watched every single episode of the flash… twice. Now that Brady has time to watch anything he so desires, he is watching the Flash. I get little updates everyday of silly things, plot twists, character flaws etc. and man.. I am not HAPPY he is in the hospital, but I remember messaging my brother for years trying to have more than one word answers. And to have a brother now who messages me first about nothing more than twizzlers in a nerds pocket. That’s like an answer to prayer. (To clarify, this is ALL in a group chat where Hailey can read but like she doesn’t because we are too busy being nerdy. It’s fine)
Brady is a really good example for me because he goes against every “normal” family where the husband just does his OWN thing. He is THERE for his amazing wife every evening. That doesn’t mean he has no hobbies or friends. He does! But he also takes pride in his family and his commitments. He is THERE for his kids and even knows what size pants they all wear.
For someone who grew up with a drug addicted father and losing their brother, having a positive big brother figure has been nothing but educational and rewarding for me. We have had moments of civil confrontation and healing. Moments where clarification is needed. Moments where I’m wrong. Moments where we are all wrong. And at the end of the day, my best friend’s husband shows up and proves to me that men know how to care.
Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk series, I put out new content every time I ask to give Hailey a break.