Hero Stories

I have a super duper brother-in-law, Zach.

Zach is married to my beloved and only sibling, Noelle.

Today (or tonight if you live in Cambodia) is Zach’s birthday! 

Zach is my polar opposite.  He has mad self-discipline skills.  And, as is typical of such folks, he is a runner.  He can also deny himself the yummiest foods on the planet.  Words that describe Zach:  integrity, devotion, passion, and father-of-my-nephew. 

He had a pretty sweet engineering career here in the US.  He left it all to travel to a place where it isn’t easy  is impossible to find fat-free cheese and where this intelligent man is reduced to toddler-speak communication.  A place where he depends 100% on the financial support of people with first-world problems like “the dominos pizza tracker app isn’t working so I don’t know when to get off the couch and put my pants on” or “my hand is too chubby to fit in the pringles can so I have to tilt it “(stole that from I don’t remember where). 

[insert:  if you want to support this amazing couple with a meager 25.00/month, email me!!]

Ok, so in honor of Zach’s birthday, a story of how we met. 

My sister returned to the states from Cambodia where she worked with children rescued from brothels. Total hero work.   Zach found her blog because he was passionate about ending sex trafficking [read:  he wanted to be a hero, too!].  Noelle had no contact info on her blog but mentioned she was enrolling in a master’s program in the states.  He googled until he found her email address at Wheaton.  Contacted her out of the blue.  They seemed eerily compatible.  Too compatible.  He must be a psychopath serial killer luring her into his clutches.

Or so, I thought.

So I did what older sisters are supposed to do.  I secretly asked my friend, Mr. Private Investigator, who happened to live in Zach’s alleged town, to follow him.  Mr. Private Investigator sent me a report.  Zach checked out.  Mr. Private Investigator had even followed him to his church.  Good thing.  I cancelled the call to Mrs. Hired Killer.  I’m just kidding.  I don’t know any hired killers.  And I’m a pacifist (except where my sister is concerned…).

I think this is the moment at their wedding rehearsal when I revealed my detective work and presented Zach with the background check!  Glad he was a good sport.

He assured himself a solid spot in the family when he got Noelle to my first birth.  When my water broke, I called Noelle who was in Chicago.  She got on a plane but it was grounded for snow in D.C.  Her new boyfriend, Zach, lived in D.C.  He left work, picked up Noelle, and drove her to SC where she arrived in time to read a verse of scripture to me right before Norah was born.  I met Zach and Norah on the same day.  It was a good day. 

As Zach protects his family against rabid dogs, language miscommunications, critters hiding in their home, pit vipers, and foods high in cholesterol please stop a moment and say a prayer for him.  If you are inclined, say many prayers for him.  I don’t think many of us can imagine the challenges he faces. 

Happy Birthday Zach!  I’ll see you soon!