daddy

I designed this screen print of my dad in college. I love this photo, taken during one of his first years as an english professor at McCallie School. He had just finished his masters at Oxford, and he looks so handsome and intellectual...

I have the best parents in the world. I've blogged about my mom and her talented interior design work; however, I can't believe I've never mentioned my father. He is everything to me, and to have a blog and not mention him is wrong. I think the idea of writing a post about him overwhelmed me so much ... and I thought, where do I even begin to start? There's no way I can mention him and not write a novel or do him and our relationship any justice, but here goes...

I find myself today, as a grownup (well, sort of) following in both of my parents footsteps. My mom is an interior designer and my dad is english professor. I majored in Art and minored in English, and today, I'm using both design + writing all the time. Even with this blog, I always think Gosh, I wish dad could proofread this...but he'd probably die over all of my misspellings and bad grammar!

For 28 years, my dad has served faithfully at McCallie School, which is an all boys prep school in Chattanooga, TN. I grew up on the campus, crazy I know, but it has always been my home, and I loved every minute of it and wouldn't have had it any other way. McCallie is more like a college campus, with dozens of families living on the campus. See how beautiful it is!



Dad has served many roles at McCallie— english professor, head tennis coach, baseball coach, dorm head, young life leader, and now his current role, Creative Writing Chairman (just to name a few). His influence on teenage boys has been enormous, and I could go on and on about HOW good he is at what he does! Boys and faculty (and anyone who meets dad) loves him — he's one of those selfless people you are instantly drawn to. When he asks you how you're doing, he truly cares—and that's a rare thing to find in people these days.

But the best part of it all — he loves what he does. He has influenced and changed more lives throughout his life and teaching career, than I can only begin to imagine. l admire so much about my father, and he's one of the funniest, most loving people you ever meet.

 
I love this picture of dad on our wedding day. We got married at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, which is the same church my parents got married in. Growing up, we always had a 8x10 picture of my parents standing in front of this beautiful door on their wedding day. Wish I could show it to you now, but definitely a special place for our family! Here's a pic of our family (pre-marriage)! That's my older brother, Jake, in the plaid. So thankful for these three!


and this is all of us now...+ bruner and deana...

Below is a picture of my parents with senior dorm boys (aka "prefects") on graduation day. They still keep in touch with these boys. My parents were their second parents throughout high-school, and the impact and influence my parents have had on these boy's lives is unbelievable.

Dad has traveled to Kenya to visit and deliver computer equipment to a school founded by Morris Thuku '93. Below are some pictures from his recent visit to Africa...

 

Writing definitely runs in the family, and my Dad comes from a long history of literary figures. His stepmother, who raised him and he still refers to as "mom", was Catherine Marshall, a New York Times best-selling author, who wrote books such as Christy (which turned into a CBS TV series), Julie, A Man Called Peter, and many many more. My grandfather, Leonard LeSourd, was also a writer and editor, and the editor of Guidepost magazine for 28 years. And the list goes on and on.

So Dad, it's obvious that your passion for english and literature runs in your blood...You've followed God's plan throughout your life, and your Christ-like example and selfless service and love for people is rare. In fact, I've never seen anyone so close to the Lord and so true to His word. You are my hero — my heart, and where I draw so much inspiration and influence from. I'm so overwhelmed with gratefulness to have you as my father. I love you mostest!