Brett Pritchard Family Blog

Cindy Pritchard-3/26/17 I am super excited to start this section of our blog. I have been facing the darkest time of my life these last five years, since your sister Mariela died. It started with the devastation and destruction that was done to my heart when I watched her deteriorate and eventually take her last breath. Then, two weeks later, we lost dads judge campaign that we had given everything we had finanacially and physically. Then, our business went bankrupt. Then, without time for my heart to even begin to heal from all the loss already listed, I lost my dad. He died just 18 months after Mariela. To increase my heart ache even more, the same week we took my dad off life support, Brandon left on his mission. Then, three months later, I put my first and oldest daughter on a plane to Peru. I have never before or since felt more terrified as I was when I was waiting to hear she had arrived safely in the care of perfect strangers.   That experience was the final straw....

Getting your dad and I through that crisis proved to be more intense than loosing Mariela. I thought I had suffered all I could up to that day. But, watching dad step off the straight and narrow made me realize I had put my children first in my life for 20 plus years. I switched my loyalties the moment I realized that. I loved him dearly and I knew our eternal family would not be intact if he didn't make it through this crisis. I walked by his side, as a voice of reason much of the time, as he walked away from all he had been trained would bring him happiness in his life. The other part of the time, I fell with him. I have never felt more tempted in all of my life combined. I learned first hand the importance of choosing to surround ourselves with good friends; friends who make righteous choices. I did not have the choice at that point. Okay, yes I did. I could have asked him to leave and fight the crisis on his own, but, that didn't feel right. I was terrified I would no...

Cute things my little boys said today: 9/12/2015 I'm very busy getting my nursing degree.  I want to write down one thing each that my kids say or do every day.  I don't want to forget these precious years even though I'm so busy. Today Ryan asked Brett, "Dad, the next time you go on a spy mission, can I go with you?"  Then he said, "Austin, I've been to Dad's spy shack, and seen all his guns up stairs."  He and Eathyn really think Brett's a spy.  He's their super hero.  Ryan is so sweet to me.  He treats me like I'm a precious jewel.   Eathyn and Ryan repeat themselves like little broken records, we are all trying to get them to stop. Today, Brett and I started our day off at the gym. We did legs today.  We hate leg day!!! We took Eathyn and Ryan with us.  Saturdays are fun at the gym.  The rock wall is open.  The two of them have so much fun together. After we left the gym Brett and I took the boys to th...

I initially was dreading this Christmas because I didn't know how to do Christmas with out all my children here. Then I decided I had to have a good Christmas with the children I still have home.   The season didn't start for Brett and I until last Saturday morning when we woke up and made our gift list.  We had only purchased three gifts from the AT&T store. We still had to buy every other thing and Christmas was less than a week away.   I have been working full time since Ellie went home 2 weeks ago and my testosterone is very low again and I really didn't want to go get it inserted because it costs me $300 every time.  Poor Brett is also very low again and it costs $700 every time for him.  Needless to say, we had not gotten anything other than necessities done.   We woke up on Saturday morning and made our list and left here at 11:30am.  By 5:45pm we had every single thing purchased, every gift and stocking stuffer, and had it all wrapp...

My heart is so heavy tonight. After 7 weeks of separation, Ellie's Mommy and sister couldn't stand being away from her any longer. They asked if I would be okay if they changed their mind, and took her back.  With Ellie being Nancy's niece and not her daughter, she had no idea how strong her bond was until she was separated from her. I remember telling her, "From my experience in the past, of raising another mothers child,  you will not know how strong your bond is with Ellie until you are separated from her."  I was reflecting back on memories of my 6 week separation from Mariela, when she was 10 months old. It was the worst experience of my life, up to that point. I had no idea how it would affect me until she went to her uncles.  That same thing happened to Nancy. I understood and had to let Ellie go home. I am missing her so much. It's amazing how I could love a child so deeply, so fast. I feel like I was suppose to be her mommy, even for a brief t...

Dear Family and Friends, This story all began when Austin attended EFY in San Antonio, Texas in July of this year.  He came home from a week of feeling the spirit stronger than he ever had in his life.  He said, "Mom and Dad I'm not going back to Temple High School! I've always hated the environment and I'm not going back!" We knew he was serious in light of the fact he was giving up his varsity football position at a 5A high school.  He was not going to be the starting quarter back but he was on the varsity team. With my help and support, he went over to the junior college here in town, passed the entrance exam and signed up for college.  When his dad got home from work that night Brett said, "How would you feel about going to Academy High School instead". Austin liked that idea immediately.  He was having a hard time imagining never touching a football again. Brett and I had never uprooted our family for our children's lack of interest in T...