Surviving

When my sister-in-law, Jennifer Parmely, met her partner, Brian Cratty, I remember thinking that he was a quiet man, and wondering if he would be able to “survive” being pushed into the middle of this big family. Now, by “survive” I don’t mean physically survive, but rather if he would have the feeling of being “eaten alive” by being planted in the middle of a large group of people. I needn’t have worried, because Brian was quite capable of standing on his own two feet in a crowd. It’s not really surprising for someone to be a bit reserved when meeting a big family like ours for the first time. It takes courage to walk into that kind of situation…I know because I’ve been there. So, when Jennifer introduced Brian to the family, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him. It’s kind of like standing in front of hundreds of people to give your first public speech at 13 years old. But once you get to know Brian, you see the gentle, kind man Jennifer fell in love with. You also see the confident man who has “made a few speeches” in his life. He was fine and felt no fear. In fact, it was likely my own shyness that made me feel uneasy for him.

Brian and Jennifer are soulmates. They have the same interests and are going in the same direction. Nevertheless, they do have differences and interests of their own. They love spending time in the mountains, no matter the season. For them, summer is just as enjoyable as winter. I’m not a fan of winter anywhere, but I do love the mountains in summer when I can hike. Brian and Jennifer, along with most of their family, are big ski enthusiasts, so winter on the mountain is perfect for them. Still, Brian has some interests that are slightly different than Jennifers. One of his favorite pastimes is mountain biking. He’ll hop on his bike and ride the trails around their cabin, sometimes disappearing for an hour or more at a time, lost in his own world…his favorite place to be…without equal.

Brian has been such a wonderful addition to Jennifer’s family and to ours as well. The little ones adore him, and he’s so good with them. He fits right in with all of us, and though he is a quiet man in a crowd, he can hold a great conversation with anyone. We all love having him around, and he’s a fantastic partner to Jennifer and a loving grandpa to the babies. Today is Brian’s birthday. Happy birthday Brian!! Have a great day!! We love you!