Briana is one of the most well spoken, intellectual, insightful, beautiful, passionate, patriotic, and delightful people I know. She is quite shy, so being able to read the answers to the questions I’ve asked is quite a privilege for us.  Try NOT to read these answers multiple times, they’ll fill you all the way up, each time.  Get to know Briana here.

What is the first life lesson you remember learning?
When I was younger, probably about five, I remember going to the grocery store with my parents and while they were checking out I wondered off. I had the habit of wondering off a lot as a kid. I wondered to the front of the store where I found two big vending machines with drinks. As I stood there staring at those machines a man walked up and proceeded to purchase a drink for himself. He then turned to me and asked if I wanted one. I just stood there, too shy to admit that I did. Without waiting for an answer he purchased a lemon and lime soda for me. I took it, again not saying much and ran back to my parents. My dad saw the soda and asked me where I had gotten it. When I told him that a man had bought it for me he looked panicked and told me never to talk to strangers. This was one of the first life lessons I remember learning: never talk to strangers because they may give you a soda.

Tell me about America, what does it mean to you to live in this country?
I told my husband once that I’m not just patriotic because I love my country. I love my country and I’m patriotic because America is the greatest symbol of freedom to the world. I believe that freedom or agency is the greatest gift that God has given man. What greater gift can there be? I am passionate about my country because of that freedom, I believe it is my responsibility to defend it. To me living in America isn’t about being American or being proud to be an American. It’s about being free. So when I say I’m proud to be an American, what I’m really saying is; I’m free.

If you had 5 things to teach your children, and only 5, what would those be?
This is a hard question because there are so many things that I have learned in my life that I hope to pass on to my children. But if I have to limit it to just five, I would teach them about the five things that I love. First I would teach them that I love God. That He lives and that He loves them. Through this I would hope they learn faith. Second I would teach them that I love myself. Whether I’m fat, thin or funny looking, it doesn’t matter, I love me because I’m beautiful and because God gave me this body to love and take care of it. By this they would learn respect. Third I would teach them of my love for my husband, their father. Through hard times and fun times, we will work together to be together. Sometimes giving up what we want because we love the other more. By this I would want them to learn sacrifice. Fourth I would teach them of my love of nature. I would show them how the rocks hold firm and the trees stand strong and how everything in nature speaks of life. Through this they would learn beauty. Finally I would teach them of my love for my family. I would teach them that God wanted families to be eternal because the family is where you should be the most accepted, respected, and loved. To me that’s what heaven is; being with my family. And through that they would learn what it is to have true joy. I would also hope that by teaching my children of the things that I love that they, in turn, would learn about love.

What are some of your favorite things?
This answer could go on forever if I allowed it. So I will try to be brief. Raindrops on roses. Whiskers on kittens. Bright, copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages, tied up with string….this is starting to sound really familiar. Sorry, it’s late as I’m writing this so you will have to forgive the cheesiness. I tend to get extra cheesy late at night. My favorite things? Cheese. Honestly though, I do love dairy. Most specifically ice cream, vanilla ice cream to be exact. I also love watching movies, talking about movies, reading about movies, making movies…really anything to do with movies. I love thunderstorms. Some of my favorite nights are spent listening to thunder rattle my bedroom window or sitting on the porch watching lightning flash across the sky as the smell of rain dances in the air. Again, it’s late, please forgive the frills of that last sentence. I love pizza and just food in general. I love singing really loudly to my favorite music, usually all the stuff that John hates like Celine Dion or heaven forbid, Christian rock, which I’ve secretly become addicted to, don’t tell anyone. One of my favorite things to be is right. I love being right. I even have an “I was right” dance. I may not always be right but…who am I kidding? I’m always right. I love my family and spending time with my family. Even if they are loud, opinionated and drive me crazy. As I said, being with my family is heaven on earth.

What makes someone good?
I don’t know if people can be simplified so easily but I believe in the statement “by their fruits ye shall know them.” I believe good people produce good fruit and bad people produce bad fruit. Our actions make us what we are, whether good or bad. However, I also believe that sometimes our actions don’t speak louder than words, sometimes we have missed acting when we really wanted to. Therefore I believe God also judges by our hearts. Sometimes we want to act but we hold back for reasons that only God knows. Actions make us good, our hearts make us better and by acting on the good intentions of our hearts we can be great.

Who is your hero? Why?
My hero…my hero…this is a really hard question. I want to say myself. But then I just sound conceited. Just kidding. I think I would have to say my parents. One “why” is because, generally speaking, I wouldn’t be who I am today without them. Not just the whole “I wouldn’t even exist without them” but because my character, my bravery, even my fears, everything I am, I am because of my parents. But the biggest reason why they are my heroes would be because they have taught me the best example of faith, endurance and sacrifice. They have worked their whole lives to live God’s will even if that meant sometimes facing the storms of life without a raincoat. And through it all they have always believed. Whether in a gale of sorrow or the depths of happiness, they always believed, they always had hope. Their example shaped how I see the world. Now I know, that no matter what happens to me in this life, no matter my trials or shortcomings, no matter my failings or fears I too can have hope and believe in a brighter future. Even if that brighter future is but always just around the corner.