Bradley Paul

I am posting tonight on my dear brother, Brad. He probably won't like this post because he doesn't like attention being focused on him, but its his turn! And its his turn because my husband just got home from an 8 week stay in my brother's one bedroom apt. That's right- my brother opened up his office in his apartment for 8 long weeks to my husband to help us out. (A big thank you to Brooke too for all her help and patience!) And I know he would have let him stay for as long as we needed the room. Because that's how my brother is. He quietly, uncomplaining, from the bottom of his wonderful heart always always helps me out. Every time. There has never been one time that I have asked anything of my brother (no matter how silly or complicated the request) that he has ever turned me down. My bond with my brother started early. Mom and dad tell a story about how they had to watch me when he was tiny because I was always wanting to hug on him. Brad has never been able to do wrong in my eyes. He has always been such a great brother. He always let me watch him play mario, which I am sure was annoying to a teenage boy. He explains all the technical or political questions that I have very patiently. He drives me anywhere I want to go, because he knows I don't like to drive. He eats wherever I want to eat when we go out. He lets me prattle on about nothing just because he is nice like that! He loves my daughter and she loves her uncle Brad. He takes wonderful care of my grandma Ginny - taking her groceries every week and running her errands. And he took care of my Papa when he was alive. He is so good to his family. Brad is crazily smart. He and Adam amaze me with their brains. I enjoy hearing them talk about things because they come up with points that I would never ever think of. Brad is very laid back and even tempered. He has a way of helping me calm down and think things through. He has talked me down from a ledge a few times (: I think the thing that I love the most about Brad is that I have never once ever felt judged or stupid or like I am bothering him. No matter what I say or how dumb it is- he just accepts me as I am. And that is such a beautiful gift to me. Brad is very loyal to his family. Very good to mom and dad and Stacey and I. He keeps pictures of Anna on his desk at work. Brad is very quiet- very observant around people he doesn't know well. No one really knows the real Brad unless he wants them too. But we know the real Brad and he is truly the best brother a sister could ever ask for (my sister will verify that when she sees this post) and I am so, so very thankful for him.