The Daily Hailey

Welcome to the history of Hailey and Brady: The Couple.

Ten years ago exactly, I arrived at Bethany College. I settled into my room with my roomie, Jerilee (we knew each other beforehand, and had requested to room together), and our year began.

Details are fuzzy, and whether it was that evening or the next, we went to a “freshman mixer,” which involved rootbeer floats and meeting new friends. There, we met Bradys roommate. He pointed out Brady across the group. Our gazes met. Thats a lie. They totally didn’t.

The next day, Jerilee and I were being annoying, and harassing a group of guys playing foosball. I put my hand in there and Brady shot a ball against it. And it hurt. But there was love. I’m just kidding. There was not.

In fact, for the next couple of months, I dated Brady’s roommate. (I know, I know, I was sooo close!) He and I broke up sometime in December.

Early February, 2007, Brady sought Jerilee and I out to color his hair. We spent a large chunk of a day coloring, washing, and straightening his hair. I spent a large chunk of that day with my hands in his curly hair. Then there was love. No. There wasn’t actually. But there was attraction. At the very least, I was intrigued.

Over the next 4-6 weeks, Brady kept showing up. My student job was counting how many people came to meals, so I always ate last, and Brady waited. Every. Meal. Except breakfast. I never made it to breakfast, but he began leaving my favorite muffin in my mailbox in the morning. I was officially wooed.

Our first date has always been up for debate. We remember two significant dates in the beginning of our relationship, and we aren’t sure which one came first. I think it was Chianti and a movie, and he thinks it was Bonanza and a movie. Whichever it was, we saw Flushed Away. It was hilarious to our 18 year old selves.

March 26, 2007 was our first kiss. It was in my parents basement after we watched Kindergarten Cop. Super romantic. We called that day the official beginning of our relationship. The conversation went like this:
Me: So, should we talk about this?
Brady: Well, I don’t just kiss my friends…
That was it.

Roughly April 20th, 2007, we left Bethany. I cried. It was hard.

I saw Brady twice over the next four months.

Our 19 year old selves moved to Winnipeg in September, 2007.

October 2007, I had my appendix out. This was the point in our relationship where Brady learned to take care of me. I had never felt so advocated for in my life.

We broke up that winter. For about a half hour. It didn’t stick.

Those same selves moved back to Saskatoon area in April, 2008. I had a very hard time in Winnipeg, and was ready to come home. Against popular belief, I NEVER gave Brady an ultimatum about coming with me. I told him I needed to go home, and we would work to stay together, but he opted to come. Winnipeg hadn’t been gentle on him either.

July 2008, Brady proposed to me, at Waskesiu lake He played guitar for me on the beach. He gave me a ring. His hands shook, and I cried. It was awesome.

February 2009, we got married. Our 20 year old selves had no idea what was coming. There were some decent bumps (and there continue to be, because we’re humans) but we discovered soon after being married that we were SO MUCH BETTER at being married than we were at dating.

February 2011, we announced our first pregnancy.

August 2011, we had our first kid. And then we had a few more.

We have come a long, long way in the last ten years, and we have GROWN as people. I couldn’t be happier to be doing life with this guy. I’m so glad for where the last ten years have taken us. If not for our year at Bethany, there may be no “us,” and no Dekker, Laela, Rowan, or Solly.

Basically, I just want to say, Brady, I forgive you for hitting me with the ball during that foosball game ♥ It would appear we can get through anything.