My 'Little' Brother Brad

This is Axel again. When Terah and I lived in AZ getting our masters degrees I was called to be the YMP for our ward. During that time I got to know this 11 - 12 year old kid named Brad. Several things about him really struck me. Firstly he really reminded me of my brother Asa. He had a drive to be a pilot and even at 12 he was doing everything in his power to make it happen. I have never seen a kid or even an adult with such a clear and concise goal doing everything that needed to be done to make it a reality. And he was funny. Terah and I loved having him around the house and he would come over often to go herping with me, get help on his homework, work on his boy scouts or just hang out. It was like having a little brother again.

We have kept in contact since we left AZ and over the years talked and seen each other when we get the chance. He never once changed his goals or the great kid he was. I was always proud of him. He served his mission in Hong Kong and his big brother Jeremy (another stellar kid) served his mission in Croatia and actually lived in the same town Terah and I were in where I was the branch president all those year ago.

Brad was accepted to the Air Force Academy and is close to graduating now we are praying for him to get a pilot's slot.

When he had a spring break and wrote he was thinking about coming to see us here we were soo happy. He showed up and here are some picts of the great week we had together:

Brad and Xay in Chitwan washing an elephant. He is no longer little! The guy is like 6'2 and solid muscle!

We went on a jeep safari and saw rhinos, spotted and musk deer, storks, sloth bears, guars, gharials, crocodiles and a caged man eating tiger. It was a great trip.

There was a forest fire going on. They are freaking loud!

Wild peacock flying away

Dona giving an elephant a Pringle chip. They also can't just eat one.

So he reached his trunk into the car to get to the source of the chips.

So Xay rewarded him with a few more and a couple of bananas so he would get fat.

Man eating crocodiles seen from a boat ride we took.

Brad hanging out at the elephant nursery.

Seeing wild rhinos on the back of a elephant. I was on the another elephant taking the picture.

Look up on the tree branch. There is an Indian Monitor Lizard almost to the top. A rare sight.

Then because I had just turned 40 and we wanted to see if we could scare some life out of me, Terah, Me and Brad went bungee jumping off of the bridge you see. 545 feet straight down! It was a blast and Brad was the gung ho Air Force man who led us to do it. Terah is going to post a separate post about that later.

Me and Brad and the valley of doom after the jump. Yeah baby we didn't die!

Brad hanging out with some of the local hill people.

We saw this old man walking down the road so Brad jumped out to give him something to drink, eat and some money for a picture. Just a little bit of size difference!

This is just at Pashupati, where they cremate the dead. Brad is majoring in Biology (another reason he is soo cool) at the academy and so he wanted to get a sample of the water to test it to see what is in it. We can't wait to hear the results!

Heavah, Hanuman (the monkey god of Rama) and Brad

Yep, that is a dead body ready to get burned.

And here it is starting. You can see the flames coming out of the mouth. That is where the fire is started. This person must have been important to be burned here.

Brad cold chill'n with the natives. After this he taught them how to do the 5 step hi five slap.

Another weird dude.

And then too soon it was over.

Brad went on a date with our maid. She is still madly in love with him and talks about him all the time.

It was such a fun trip. They guy had Terah and I laughing full belly laughs every day he was here. It was like chicken soup for our souls to have him here. I couldn't be more proud of the man he has become. Nor could I be prouder to have him as an adopted younger brother. He brings happiness and smiles wherever he goes. I can't wait to see him again.

Miss you bro! Come back soon!