I’ve always been what most folks would call a good ol’ country boy. I grew up tearing through fields on dirt bikes, play every sport I could, and working long hours on my family’s farm planting corn, beans, and wheat. Life was simple, full of hard work and wide-open skies.
In the summer of 2011, I started dating Tayler, a girl I’d known since middle school. Three years later, I asked her to marry me right in the middle of a duck blind muddy boots, hunting gear, and all. She said yes. We tied the knot in the winter of 2015 in sunny San Diego, far from the snow-covered roads of Nebraska.
Just two months after the wedding, I made a big career change and became a corrections officer. It was a blessing for our future but hard in the moment nine weeks of training, three hours from home, only seeing Tayler on weekends. But it was during that time apart that we decided we were ready to grow our family.
After more than a year of trying, I’ll never forget the phone call at work. Tayler’s voice was filled with excitement: “We’re pregnant!” I felt everything at once joy, nerves, and pure anticipation.
On November 4, 2016, my life changed forever. Our son, Hudson Dean, arrived weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces. In that moment, I didn’t just become a dad I became a protector, a teacher, and a best friend.
Watching Hudson grow has been the greatest adventure of my life. From his first crawl to his first wobbly steps, even the sleepless teething nights have been a gift. Before we became parents, Tayler and I were the “cool” aunt and uncle. Back in 2012, I’d bought a Ford pickup for my niece and nephew.
In 2015, my sister passed it back to me for Hudson. I decided to paint it to perfectly match my own truck. He’s still too small to reach the pedal, but the way his eyes light up when he sees it tells me that day can’t come soon enough.
Hudson’s now 16 months old, full of curiosity and mischief sometimes staring right at us before tossing a toy we just told him not to throw. Whether he’s running through the house without a stitch of clothing or climbing into my lap, he’s always ready for his next adventure.
My favorite photo of us is one where Hudson is holding my hand. To me, it’s a symbol I’m guiding him forward, but we’re learning life’s lessons together, step by step.
