When my husband was invited to interview for his current teaching position at Point Loma Nazarene University, Brandon was the one who first contacted him. Brandon’s friendly and welcoming demeanor even over the phone was enough to make my husband begin to seriously consider working at a school that we knew little about at the time, other than that they had been our competitors in college track. When the two of us flew from Tennessee to San Diego for his in-person round of interviews, it was Brandon who greeted us in the parking lot. Two nights later over a delicious steak dinner overlooking the gorgeous bay, with a smile on his face and his beautiful wife beside him, it was Brandon who unofficially offered my husband the job of his dreams.
Several months later, when our family had moved across the country and begun to settle into our new life in San Diego, Brandon and his beautiful wife Monique invited our family for dinner in their home. As it turns out, it’s not only Brandon that we are drawn to; it’s his whole incredible family! The Sawyers are not just a bunch of nice people, although they sure are that. These five are remarkable. Brandon and Monique are thoughtful listeners, honest sharers, intentional parents, hard workers, selfless friends. They are people who make you want to be better. They are people you want to find excuses to spend time with. They are people that can make a new place feel like home.
And their kids are just as extraordinary. Their darling nicknames for each other and the way they look out for one another is precious. These three treat others outside of their family with kindness and respect. They are sweet as can be, and also resilient and commendably tough through trials. Even after an extremely difficult year full of heavy and unforeseen medical challenges, the Sawyers have remained full of hope.
This family shares a bond that’s unbreakable, and they give off a sense of inviting others around them into their hearts and lives. Their laughter and joy is contagious. I am so deeply grateful to know these five, and count it a true privilege to have gotten to capture the love that is theirs. I hope everybody can have friends like the Sawyers in their lifetime.
