WHY I LOVE HIM

Jesse.  My UNson-in-law.

For one reason, he's been around for over 11 years.  I've seen him at his worst and now I see him at his best.  He was raised by a single mom, along with two older brothers.  From different dads.  She is a functioning alcoholic ... he has more than once had to put her in pajamas and put her to bed.  His father left when he was two.  He had just reconnected with him as a young adult when he died of a heart attack at his office.

Jesse is a lot like a middle child rather than the baby.  He cares about people close to him, wanting to be helpful.  He sure proved that when I was recuperating from the knee replacement.  He is front and center with his two boys.  Totally involved, always teaching.

But I fell in love with Jesse in March 2013 when he surprised Ralph with a visit bearing his only grandchild, Braeden.  How he scraped together airfare and brought that little tyke from Portland to Maui ... without letting us know ... Needless to say, Ralph brightened up for those three days like you wouldn't believe.

He was in the habit of calling me once or twice a week, late at night HIS time as he was a restaurant server.  When he called that night it wasn't a surprise.  He asked for our address and swore this time he would write it down.  Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door.  It was 1:00 am their body time.  But they came with big smiles and I woke up the Poppa.

That is the real reason I love him so much.  He knew, without asking, what Poppa's last wish would be.