Theo Bremer-Bennett Each Day

I met Theo Bremer-Bennett about 20 years ago when we were both in college. He was (and is) the cherished friend of my husband's brother and, from the start, I understood why Brian was so fond of him. There's just something about Theo. His creativity and gentle spirit make you want to sit next to him on a park bench and just watch the clouds move by, if that makes any sense.

Theo's a musician. In college, he and his friend Kristofer Widholm wrote songs together. My favorite from that time is "All My Letters from Delphine." (You can give his music, including that song, a listen, here.)

After our first child was born, my husband and I spent the two days I was in the hospital engaged in the delicious task of naming our son. We test-drove names such as "Whitman" (yes, for Walt), "Eliot" (for T.S.) and "Stanley" (for the great grandfather he never knew) but none of these fit this new little boy.

"Who are you?" I'd ask him.

The hospital employee in charge of getting parents to fill out paperwork returned to our room again and again.  After a while, she dispensed of formalities and would just lean into the room:  "Ready with a name?" "Ready now?" "Ready?" and we'd say "No, no, no. Not yet."

Finally, though, we hit on it. We said the name and everything aligned, like when you're taking a test at the eye doctor and she says, "Tell me when the dots come together and you only see one." One name, one baby, one person. The name was "Theodore," meaning "gift of God." My husband said, "We could call him 'Theo.' You know, like Theo Bremer-Bennett." We said if he grew up to be half the person Theo Bremer-Bennett is, we'd have been a part of ushering someone vital into the world.

Now Theo, the younger, is 14 years old and I'm happy to say that by some bit of serendipity or divine favor, he shares some of that sweetness, love of music, and strength that we always admired in Theo, the elder. And the two, in my recollection, have never met.

Theo, the elder, lives in New Mexico and is the father of five children, including Yohannes (see video, above).  Like my husband and me, Theo and his wife Carol are the parents of children by birth and by adoption. Carol is Native American and their son Asa is the only Bremer-Bennett who came into the family by birth. (Carol, too, was adopted as a child.)

In a recent email, Theo wrote:

"...the latest is that we've moved into a school dorm to accommodate our family. We're up to 3 Ethiopians, 1 Navajo, and 1 native/anglo who's not adopted -- but we like him too!"

Theo made this little video after his son's homecoming from Ethiopia. I remember watching it over and over, soaking up the joy Theo and his new little son shared.

Enjoy.

(Thank you Theo for granting me permission to post it here.)