Hi folks!  Andrea here!  It’s been a while since we’ve had a good old Brett Family update, and lately, we have all been getting the question, “What is the Brett Family up to these days?”  Hopefully, this blog post will give you all the inside scoop!  Be warned!  There’s lots to read here, so strap in!  (I think you should get a prize if you read to the end!)

I’ll go from oldest to youngest, just to keep this organized!  So…let’s talk about Tom!

First of all, let me just say what an incredible man my husband, Tom, is!  He’s just one of the good ones, and our family is super blessed to have him as the leader of the pack.  Right now, Tom has several projects going.  The one that takes the most time and energy is being owner, manager, and doctor at NuVive Medical Center.  It’s hard to believe that NuVive is now four years old!  Tom spends long days at the clinic working with his staff helping people who suffer from all kinds of joint pain and/or peripheral neuropathy to achieve a better quality of life.  It’s really great to hear about the results they are getting.  It is very rewarding, but also, a ton of work! This has been a very brave project for Tom to take on in this stage of life, but I’m super proud of him!  He is a rock star!

In addition to NuVive, Tom and I are involved in several joint projects. One we’ve shared about quite a bit lately is “The Nest,” our new venue for singers and songwriters.  We love original music and we love the people who create it, so it’s been really fun to give them this awesome stage to do their thing.  It’s an intimate, comfy, friendly vibe!  Just 55 seats.  We are hoping this will grow, and that people who live in the Branson area, as well as those who visit here, will enjoy taking in concerts at The Nest.  We would love to have you join us!

As for me, in some ways, I feel busier than ever.  I guess it’s just a habit.  In addition to “The Nest,” I just finished another session of The Creativity Course.  This was the third time I’ve held this class in our basement and through Zoom.  Honestly, this idea wasn’t even on my radar two years ago and now it’s a “thing” for me.  I’ve found that I really love sharing what I’ve learned and continue to learn about the importance of creativity and being a creator.  I’ve met and worked with so many wonderful, creative people in the process.  That’s the best part!  I also try to practice what I preach, so this year I’ve been doing quite a lot of composing.  I’m just finishing up the writing for a 9-piece suite of original piano music that I’m hoping to record and release later this year. Probably my favorite thing to write are songs just to sing, so I’ve been working on a few of those, as well, and I share them at our Jam Jams at “The Nest.”  

Then there is just good old normal life for Tom and I – family, church, friends, our home.  We’re not sure we will ever get used to our big, empty nest, but we are doing our best!   

Briahna stays super busy as the super mom to five children.  I could stop right there and you could fill in the blanks!  Briahna is a homeschool mom, which is such a huge endeavor.  I know, because I remember!  With five kids you can imagine the miles she puts on the family van!  Soccer, taekwondo, dance, church… The Perkins crew just finished up a relaxing Spring Break, hitting up their favorite local restaurants and activities, having fun with friends, and experimenting with their new mini donut maker!  In addition to “momming,” Briahna teaches the advanced ballet classes at a local dance studio, where Spring Recital prep is in full gear.  She is a leader in the children’s organization on Sundays and is the accompanist extraordinaire for anyone who sings at church.  Her husband Merrill is in the Navy Reserves, and thankfully, he is currently home most of the time.  Together, they run a tight ship, but they keep it real and they keep it fun.  It’s so great to live close enough to see the grandchildren grow up and to be part of their lives. 

Brydon always has lots of pans on the stove!  Here is what is currently on the burners:  1)  The Bretter Together YouTube Channel.  Brydon and Mina, (with cameo appearances from Daven,) share videos about their life together as a bridge-building couple.  I know I’m the mom, but these videos are super entertaining and informative.  They’re not afraid to tackle tough topics, but they do it with lots of well-conveyed knowledge and good humor.  You should check it out!  2)  The King Will Come Choir & Warehouse Worship.  This is a project that Garon started out in Utah, but Brydon and Mina are now an integral part of.  Brydon is heavily involved on the admin team and he and Mina sing.  This is a really awesome choir, made up of super talented young musicians who love to sing and share messages about their relationship with Jesus.  Again, I know I’m the mom here, but seriously, folks, this music is legit!  (I’ll talk more about that in Garon’s part.)  3)  For the last several years, Brydon has been the go to guy to emcee the FAME Show Choir national competitions.  He spent last weekend in Orlando with FAME.  While he was in Florida, Mina was in New York City performing with Garon and the King Will Come Choir.  Sometimes you gotta divide and conquer!  4)  Brydon is a dad par excellence!  (Really that should have been number one.) All of us knew that Brydon would be a great dad someday, and we were right.  He adores Daven and vice versa.  Brydon is the consummate Renaissance guy, but it’s very gratifying to see that Mina and Daven truly do come first!

And rounding out Team Brett is Garon!  I just mentioned The King Will Come Choir, and Garon is at the heart and soul of it.  He is one of the founding members and, as such, has his creative stamp all over it.  He has written and arranged many of the songs and collaborated with other amazing artists to bring this music to life.  It’s soulful, and worshipful, and heart-reaching. This is their stated purpose: “The King Will Come is a multicultural, multi-denominational Christian worship collective of modern songwriters, producers, musicians, artists, and creatives dedicated to building bridges, having honest spiritual conversations, and experiencing true relationship with God.”  It’s very cool to see the vision of this group come to life, and it makes Tom and I very proud of what is now part of the family legacy.  This weekend we are going to Utah to see their next concert.  If you are in Utah, you can come experience it LIVE!  It is also being live-streamed for those who can’t be there in person.  Check out the details for the live-stream at thekingwillcome.com/live  

In addition to The King Will Come, Garon is an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University, teaching songwriting classes, and he’s writing and releasing his own solo music.  His new single, “I Still Love You,” just came out, and this one is definitely a fav!  It belongs on everybody’s “feel good” playlist, right next to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire!  You’ll want to put it on repeat wherever and however you listen to music. Seriously.  🙂

Well, that’s a wrap!  You made it to the end, and I’m sorry – no prizes!  But as I’ve been writing this, I’ve been reminded of what a prize LIFE is, and how blessed Tom and I are.  There really are no words for that feeling of gratitude when you look at your family and see them doing good in the world and just being good people.  You just can’t ask for much more than that. 

I just want to say, on behalf of the entire Brett Family, we couldn’t be more grateful for YOU – our friends, our extended family, our fans!  We love sharing our lives, our dreams, and our plans with you. Thank you for staying on the journey with us.  We appreciate you more than you know!