Tobin's Daddy

This is my brother Kale.

Kale and I have never gotten along. Ever.

We were O.K. after he moved out and got married, but we've never been close.

This summer, Kale and I have bonded.

I spent a lot of my weekends driving 5 1/2 hours one way to spend with Kale and the babies, becuase his wife left them.


I bonded with the kiddos, and with my brother. I was there for him in a capacity I have never been before. I think a lot of it is because Brent is in Germany, and often hard to have a conversation with because of the time difference.

Kale calls me now when he's having a hard day. He appreciates what I do for him and his children.

I spent my last weekend before I had to come back to school with him. During this visit he told me how much he appreciated my sacrifice. He also told me something that I thought was kind of strange.

We were leaving Walmart after doing some much needed grocery shopping. He turned to me and said, "This is going to sound kind of weird, but the next time I get married, I hope she's like you. Things aren't as stressful when you're around, like here at the store. The kids were always running wild and uncontrollable with Valerie, but with you. they're not."

I was extremely flattered my brother would say that about me. But when I told my mom, she asked me a question I never thought of, "would someone like you want to marry someone like Kale?"

My answer? No. Straight up. But I have come to love my brother in a new capacity this summer. I was able to serve him and his family in a very unique and special way.

My heart hurts for Tobin and Namara in a way that I can only imagine a parent feels, and that bond never would have happened, had I not used this summer to serve Tobin's Daddy.