Couple Things with Shawn and Andrew - Hunter and Devin Cordle

Episode Date: May 1, 2025

Today we sat down with Hunter and Devin Cordle, a couple we’ve been told we needed to meet for a long time and you guys were right, we loved them! Hunter and Devin, best known online as “The Cordle Family” share their hilarious and unfiltered take on marriage, parenting, faith, and everyday life with their online audience of over 6 million, but what stood out to us about them the most was their genuine hearts, vulnerability and authentic love for one another (plus they’re really funny so that helps too haha). We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed meeting the Cordles! Let us know who we should book next in the comments below! Love you guys! Shawn and Andrew Follow Devin ▶ https://www.instagram.com/devincordle/?hl=en Follow Hunter ▶ https://www.instagram.com/hunter.cordle/?hl=en Their Tik Tok ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@thecordlefamily?lang=en Beam Kids is now available online at https://www.shopbeam.com/COUPLETHINGS Take advantage of our exclusive discount of up to 40% off using code COUPLETHINGS Subscribe to our newsletter ▶ https://www.familymade.com/newsletter Follow our podcast Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/shawnandandrewpods/ Follow My Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/ShawnJohnson Follow My Tik Tok ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnjohnson Shop My LTK Page ▶ https://www.shopltk.com/explore/shawnjohnson Like the Facebook page! ▶ https://www.facebook.com/ShawnJohnson Follow Andrew’s Instagram ▶ https://www.instagram.com/AndrewDEast Andrew’s Tik Tok ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewdeast?lang=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up, everybody? Welcome back to a couple things, interviews. With Sean and Andrew. Today, we have Hunter and Devin Cortle. I remember when you first showed me a video from Hunter and Devin. And you were just giggly because they're this funny, southern couple, adorable. And it's really wholesome content. It really is.

We recently just ran into them at Disney World. We saw them twice in the last two weeks. It's been delightful. They are, they were absolutely incredible to talk to. I love how open and honest they are about everything, just kind of where they are in life, their emotional struggles going up and down with their jobs and their careers

and their identity and their faith and postpartum depression and just, they're truly influencers that are living kind of with open books. And I think because of that, they're so relatable and so many people follow them and they're taking off.

Yeah, it's not a train wreck open book though. No. They're very grounded. They have, like, strong values, good communities. They, like, share things responsibly, I would say, which is great. You know, we talk postpartum depression. We talk anxiety. We talk diabetes.

We talk about Hunter and his search for what does he want to do and what does he want out of life. And I really enjoyed this conversation. If you don't know Hunter and Devon, we will link their information down below. I think you'll like them a lot. If you enjoy watching our content, I would say there's a high likelihood you'll enjoy watching theirs. They're probably funny.

They are funnier than we are. But anyway, thank you Hunter and Devin for coming into the studio. We loved getting to meet you, and we hope that there's a friendship in the future. So anyway, enjoy this one with Hunter and Devin. All right, Hunter and Devin, welcome to show. Thanks for joining us.

Thank you for having us. Yeah, thanks. Thanks for driving in. Flying. Flew in. Oh, you said it was a drive. No, it's a short drive, but we had Ivy. And so we're like, eh, it's an hour flight.

I was thinking about that. I was like, that feels like a decent drive with a kid. yes yeah well that's why we didn't bring the little one but then we still ended up flying anyway so yeah wait did you meet ivy yet i haven't oh my gosh you're missing out four ice cream downstairs yes i'm sorry about that she helped us yeah you just offered ice cream i did not i did not i'll take responsibility for how to look at me she's like yeah yeah that's happened it is it is currently 11 o'clock Andrew we literally experienced us together we're going through a chick-fly drive-thru and we like roll down the windows and our kids are in the back and we like roll down the windows

and our kids are in the back. And the drive-thru guy was like, do you want the ice cream? The free ice cream. And we're like, could you say it any later? You literally did this. Kids are losing. That is funny.

Yeah. She's been so great. She deserves it. Okay. I have a hidden agenda for today's episode. Oh, wow. So y'all have known each other forever. Forever.

When did you first meet? Since we were kids. I was 13 and you were 14. 2012. Dang. Well, and then your grandma. Mm-hmm. delivered you.

Yes. Yes. So, like, your families knew each other? No. No. It was just a coincidence. Yeah, and we didn't even figure that out until later, like a few years after we dated. And then they were just talking.

She was a labor and delivery nurse. And then, yeah, she was like, wait, I delivered you. So you guys have both born and raised, grew up in Alabama. Yes. Okay. Same town. I'm like, y'all ever see those pictures and it's like of a couple together, but it was like a throwback and they were in the background.

And they were like, like, I wonder if we're ever. in any pictures like that i know yeah because we did have some mutual friends we're like are you there at this party that you know we've never figured it out if we actually were but it would be cool it would be cool yeah i would have had a crush on you yeah what did that keep my head agenda since you've known each other forever by the end of this episode i want you guys to have discovered something about each other you did not previously know wow so bad pressures on us to ask these questions all right okay i'm nervous Okay, so you met when you're 13, 14, been married for how many years?

Seven? Seven. Yes. You got married young? We did. Like, engaged right after high school. Oh, wow. And then married the next year.

How do you mind how? Me asking how old you guys are? We're 26 and 27. Okay. So, yeah. I'm 27. Yeah. Married at 20.

Married at 19. 19. Engaged at 18. Yeah. We were young and. Wow. Why'd you do that? I don't know

I mean we were together for so long we kind of had this realization moment and I think we could both say where we were and what we were doing when it kind of happened we decided when we were juniors in high school we were like we really want to be together so we're going to do whatever it takes because we both had our own plans

what we wanted to do with our lives and we're like how can we adjust this to do what we both want to do but do it together and so from there on it was more of like a long term like, you know, oh, I'm going to go to school while you work and then and then we swapped and so we had planned for a long time to get married.

So we did it as soon as we could, basically. Did you find that that decision was an easy one for you guys to make as far as like sacrificing work and like dreams and like alternating plans for each other? Yeah, it was. It was like once we decided that, there was no other option, you know, or we would have been sad. Right. Yeah, because our other plans were you were figuring out where you wanted to go to college and stuff. And so he was going to go a few hours away, this way, and I was going to go this way.

We were like, well, that sucks. I don't want to do long distance. Yeah, we didn't want to be apart from each other. Yeah. Of course, our plans ended up changing after we got married. But I think, obviously, it all worked out for the better anyway, so. Yeah. This is actually really deep.

I really liked them so far, Bev. I'm not. I figured I like the way they live life. I think this is. Yeah. When I look at my friend, I'm 33. So ancient compared to you guys. Yeah, we're old.

Oh, no. Just the thought that I got to wait for XYZ to pan out or for me to go on this last trip that'll scratch this, like, personal itch that I have to feel this or accomplish this in my career. It's like, and then I'll get married. Before being ready to get married. Yeah. And it's like, but they have that desire. I just feel like it's kind of backwards and you're kind of missing so much of the joy of going on the ride together. My gosh.

Yes. That's what it like, go. We had so many people that were like, oh, don't do it. And so I feel like we beat the odds in some way. Like it was rare, but we, all the naysayers were like, we get to do this stuff together. Like, that's fun. You know, I didn't want to do it by myself. And we've had so much fun.

Yeah. Like, we're just best friends hanging out. Yeah. I had a conversation last night with a friend who we were talking about how their relationship had kind of unfolded over the years. And there was a decision they had to make before they got married around. college where they had to choose between like a dream job or the marriage to a certain extent and it's so interesting kind of what Andrew was alluding to so many people are crippled by

this idea that if I give up my dream it must not be the right person whereas I feel like people are prioritizing it wrong whereas like your dream is actually the rest of your life with your person yeah rather than it is the job and I'm curious it's kind of a lot of question Like, are there any regrets of, like, would you go back and do college differently? Do you think you could have done a long-distance college and it still were? Or was it an easy sacrifice, too, because you were looking at a different future? No, it was so easy for me. And I don't want to speak for you, but I'll say it's pretty easy for you.

I mean, I think, I don't know. Obviously, I think we could have done long distance, but I want to say that we wouldn't have been able to do it because we would have been like, you know what? this is not what we want and then we would have ended up coming together if we started long decision it wouldn't have lasted long i don't think so you guys get married at 19 how does your life change after that because you were right out of high school looking at colleges what changed as far as like did you go to college do you go into a job did you start social media yeah so i did i did i went to our community college and i did like a program physical therapist assistant there and he were you a firefighter at that point no no yeah i was working you were working while i did

school but the perks of getting married young too when we were broke i got help with college like so it wasn't like we look back now we're like how did we how did we get married that young financially you know i don't know i think god provided the way like i'm telling you like it's i don't understand how like worldly you like how were we able to but it was god um and then so yeah i did that for it was like a two-year program graduated i got a job then he started firefighting yeah and then we had plans like for when she finished i was going to go to school somewhere and then that ended up changing so i got hired at the fire department and then i ended up going to paramedic school while she was working but then it was like better like we were like okay

more financially sound and and then COVID happened and then that is the year i got pregnant in 2020 and um i just had this pool like that i would social media it's so weird like i just was like I feel like I'm going to do something different, but I didn't know what it was. And I prayed a lot about it because I just felt like I was, that was a year like finding my purpose. I was going to be mom. So I was like, what the heck? How do I do that? And then it was just this like desire that was like building up, I guess. And I just felt like I was so weird, but I felt like I was going to be an influence, but I didn't know what an influencer was. I just felt like I had a bigger calling on my life versus like to serve others and then all this social media transpired and it just kind of

like fell in our lap and it was crazy way so you felt like you're going to be an influencer which led you to take an action that was different it didn't it didn't just like the moment right there so then what what happened between that feeling and then where you are now so it was like a few months and I was just like I had I prayed a lot on that feeling I'm like what is this because like I said I was feeling a lot of lack of purpose during that season um trying to figure out how to be a mom struggle with postpartum depression and so it's like a kind of bigger timeline but the gist of it all in that time um i just felt like i kept telling him i'm like i'm feeling some kind of pool like towards something i ended up getting a job for social media doing somebody else's social media for business and um i was like

you know what like we are called to be the light of the world and just like hopefully be a good influence to people and so i was like whatever we do like do it with your smile on your face just do it to not serve yourself but for others and take anything you do and be able to do that and then I worked that job for a month and then I felt like it was like no like this is that was a baby step I didn't know what it meant by like do social media like I didn't know how that happened but I just started making videos as like therapy too because at that point I was just a stay-at-home mom I was so cringing to me mom constant like the way I you scroll all the way down you'll see but so I did that and I don't know I just told it I feel like it gave me joy because I felt like

I was able to make other people smile and then from there it was more so me he was a firefighter and then one day he just came home and filmed him shaving off his mustache I was like oh that's not my content like I post like mom voiceovers but I was like oh we'll post it and because that was what we normally did he always filmed me like reactions and scaring or pranking or whatever I would film it and we never post it. it but we decided to we did and then it blew up and then we got a million followers and I was like what in the world is happening so from that I was like oh like this is what it means like to be an influence to many and and like use that for good you know mm-hmm spoiler alert

the mustache grew back yeah it is it is it is back in full force yeah I hope that made sense that's like a short gist of no thank you for it yeah social media is amazing in the practice that it gives you to share something right and it's like in the very act of filming a video there's like no matter how silly or serious a video is it's like i have something to say you know which i think is important i think we all have something to say i think it gets a little hairy when people do it for themselves rather than like what you were saying for the higher calling it's it's a gray line sometimes because it's like well who's the one with the followers and then but i think the ultimate intention does make a big difference so i'm i love that you took that

leap of faith and that you just doubled down on it because I know the paramedic life is like serious going to the fire becoming a firefighter and then becoming a paramedic walk through that process. I have a lot of questions about this. He's got lots of stories. Yeah I loved it. So the plan

to backtrack a little bit I was planning to do mechanical engineering and at Auburn University you can work for the fire department and they'll pay your tuition. So you can work, get a salary, they'll pay your tuition. That was my plan. kind of go back to reiterate the we were taking turns working to grow together so that was my plan to be able to get the schooling right so ended up dropping the engineering stuck with the

fire department um in our hometown so went through that yeah went through the recruit school learned all the fire stuff and then I decided I wanted to go to paramedic school but did that it was like a year and a half fish process year from year and a half and you're kind of getting paid Right, but... Yeah, no, I'm working full-time at the fire department. And school. Yes. And school. Yep. So it was like, if it was one of my shift days, I would just go to class. And when I got done with class, then I would go to the fire station. And then to clarify, because we've been learning a lot about the fire department with friends. Okay.

Was yours a paid fire department or a volunteer? Yeah, paid. Okay. Wonderful. Yes. I just think every firefighter should be paid. A very good salary. How long after paramedic school were you a paramedic? I was like before I quit The fire department

I was a paramedic for Almost two years I think So like a firefighter for like almost five Yeah a firefighter almost five And then a paramedic for I think two years And then did you quit before your first baby?

No No you had a first baby We had we had Ivy And yeah she was born in 2021 And I quit October 8th of 2022 was my last shift We have learned and seen firsthand with friends. The firefighting world is something that a lot of people don't quite understand the magnitude of until you're in it.

How did you deal with the weight of being a first responder and then becoming a father and a husband and like dealing with that? Did you compartmentalize it? How are you able to come home and get rid of everything that you had seen that day? If I got a nuance, because we just went to this event where a firefighter was talking about they have PTSD. from some of the stuff they saw. If you could just describe when a firefighter is called. So what situations are you walking into? And then you could dive into some details.

I'll preface it by saying like when you sign up for the job, you know what you're getting into, right? So I was like fully prepared for everything. You just kind of learn like, I mean, that's your job and you got to do your job to the best of your ability, right? It wasn't very difficult for me, I would say, because like I would kind of leave it all at work. And like we talk about it as a cruise.

and comedic relief is a big thing in the fire department so we would laugh about whatever not in a bad way but we would make jokes about whatever the terrible situation was I know that sounds awful

but in the best way but yeah and I mean I would come home and like it was just relieving to be able to come home to her and Abby when she was little and it was... I feel like you were good at compartmentalizing because I thought I wouldn't

I'm not and so I would always check on him be like are you okay like he would tell me whatever he saw like a dead body like does that not affect you and he's like no I'm fine yeah I mean you just get used to it yeah like you know you just get used to well like delivering babies mm-hmm like how you okay yeah because when you're like you have a probationary process so for most fire departments I believe it's like your first year on the job like after you get out of the recruit school you have a probationary process I think it's usually like six months or a year. Ours was a year.

So in that time, like, you don't really have any say in anything. You don't really. You're kind of the go-to guy for whatever needs to be done. So in that first year, you pretty much learn how it's going to be the rest of your career. Obviously, I didn't do a full career, but you just kind of learn, I guess, to compartmentalize, yeah. And then to clarify for people listening who might not note, so like any type of call whatsoever, you guys are the first ones to show up pretty much yes so any medical event any accident yes fire whole nine yards all of it yes fire department is like a go-to like i went to a call one time because

the sink was broken and she couldn't figure out how to turn it off so they're like they call now on oh who do we send fire department it's me yeah yeah i used to be confused whenever i would see like a medical call or whatever. I'm like, well, it's a fire truck there. Because you think fire truck fire. But he was at everything. Like, everything. There was shootings and it was like a murder scene. They were there. Like, wild. Strokes, heart attacks, fires, car wrecks. Hasmat. Hasmat? Oh my God. Diffusing bombs. That's the one thing. That's the one thing. That's the one thing. That's the one thing. The only thing. You delivered babies? Yes, I have. How many? I was a part of part of two.

Wow. Did you deliver your own babies? Yes. Brewer, I did pretty much, right? Did you? Okay. Well, it was like, so not completely. Like, I wasn't like in the thing, like, you know, like the doctor, but, um, I mean, no, I didn't really, I cut the cord up, but.

Yeah. Wait, did you catch Brewer? I think. You think? Both of her deliveries were like, oh, wait, it's happening. And so it was kind of last minute. I don't think you caught him. I was supposed to with the other doctor.

Yes. He was going to let you deliver. Right. That's what it was. Yeah. And then we were waiting on her actual doctor. He didn't make. So it was like a whole scenario.

Like it was just a blur. Yeah. I wish I could have. You wanted to deliver your own kids? I don't know if that would have been cool. Yeah. Why would you want to do that? We also had such different experiences though.

Like we were in operating rooms. So it was very different. Yeah. What would make you want to deliver your own kid? to me I mean having a medical background I guess it's just like that would be cool to like you know just to say that I did it I guess well we have a friend and he's also a firefighter and he delivered their baby over the toilet at home over the toilet yeah wow how does that even work I don't know it was an accident yeah yeah see I feel like that was kind of us like we were just in the hospital and it's like oh wait it's happening I would have been prepared if I had to have at home I'm like well he's here he can he can do it yeah it's not as hard as you would think I mean unless something goes wrong right yeah you know which is very likely I guess but otherwise if everything goes like it's supposed to it's really it's really not a

difficult process like yes it is hard on you but you know delivering the baby itself is not that hard yeah is it true that you could just drop kids off at fire stage Yes, that is true. Did you ever have that experience? I did not. After I left, they got like baby drop boxes installed in all the fire stations. Wow. Yeah.

Did they ever get one? No, I don't think, I don't think so. I love hearing the story of how you guys got here. I'm curious how fame has treated you and what side effects it's come with. Oh, good question. Yeah. Interesting question. What do you go?

I don't know. Like, honestly, I don't love it, but I want to say, like, I've always been a private. person. Like even some of the guys at the fire department that I worked with that I didn't like just really love. Like I didn't even want them to know where we lived. And now everybody not everybody but now everywhere we go

like somebody knows who we are and a lot of people know where we live like in our town. So it's just for me it's the privacy like especially now like kids are growing up and that's the big thing for me. That's tough. Because you're all in a small town too. So it's like you probably go out and it's a little I feel like it's not that bad like it depends on the day like if I'm having a bad day

They don't know what day they're catching you on you know so they want to meet the person they know From social media um so I always try to still like have a smile on my face and stuff but like there are some days where I just I won't go in I'll send him in because I don't want to like I don't want to hurt somebody's feelings Because of my mood or whatever you know but I would say like the fame for me it's still such a twilight light thing. Yeah, for sure. You know, like, I feel like it's an out-of-body experience. Every time it happens, people come up to us and they're like, oh, my gosh, I love you.

And I'm just like, oh, I'm just, or like, you know, they're like, I'm so sorry. I don't want to be. I'm like, no, it's literally fine. Like, we're just, I feel like we're friends, you know, that, like, I'm not not know you, but I don't know. It's always such an out-of-body experience every time. And even my friends, when they're with me, I ask them, I'm like, is this weird to y'all? And they're like, I'm used to it.

But it is so weird. You go from being just. You blend in and then you people, like, I forget sometimes and then people recognize us in a crowd of people. I'm like, weird, whoa, you know? But I love it. Like, I do love it. I love being able to meet people and have a, like, I think it's really cool that we can have an impact on people like that. Negative side effects, like, depends on the day.

Like, hate comments, that kind of thing. I don't really read stuff anymore. But all of that can, like, affect me mentally. and since me in a spiral sometimes. More so I feel like having kids. Like don't say anything about my kids or me as a mom. Like people telling me if I'm a bad mom, I'm like, you don't know me like that, you know? Just come to terms with the fact that you can't please everybody all the time.

You can please some people sometimes, but like, hey, it's a bad day or whatever. Like maybe you didn't give them all that they wanted from you, whatever that means. But then I was thinking, I was like, you know what? not even Jesus could please everybody all the time that guy that guy caught some slack too yeah yeah so it's just i don't know like treat people with respect but also you have a family to take care of it's it's like a it's a hard line to walk how do you guys navigate the social media world where your fame and your success is based off of your family like you you share your marriage you share your kids how do you navigate that and where are your boundaries and strategy

and like what you do share and what's too much and what's what's your line and what's your what's your process you share your mustache obviously there's parts of our relationship that people don't see um we try to share like the good because like I feel like some things are just meant to be private you know um like we want to promote just our like a healthy relationship like in the beginning we would like film them more and stuff but I never want to make our content about them they'll be like in it but I feel like the longer we've done this and the more that I see how crazy the world is it makes me like more protective and um i don't want how easy it is for people to paint a narrative about us just based on one video that makes me nervous for them to do that about our kids so i feel

like that's a boundary we have we try to film like even us stuff like kind of without them there you know not them like seeing us always just like filming and then what would you say we i would say that too that's like our boundary and kind of what i was saying about the prophecy it's like we do show our kids Because there's some people who like block their kids' faces. And we don't do that, but we try to not make the content about them. We try for it to be like Hunter and Devon, but we have kids. So we don't, you know. We want people to know that we have kids.

But like she said, we don't want people to hang in a narrative about them like they do us. I feel passionate about this. I'm not saying I do it right. I share a lot of your thought processes. But it's like the internet has done this weird thing and exposing all these like psychological blind spots. And so it's like, hey, you got all the promiscuous stuff or you have all like the gambling that you can just go crazy with or like the enraging and flaming type of stuff, which are all blinds, like it's going to work every time. You know what I'm saying? All of that stuff.

But also on the positive side of things, the family is just like this, it will always be cute to everybody. You know what I'm saying? And there's value to that. So like you have to steward it well and think about it. But it's like I think you're contributing to the positive side of the spectrum. if anything yeah and you guys do a great job with that oh thank you thank you we have a very similar mindset like it's about us and we have kids yeah and you'll see our kids like because they're there and that's our family but it's never about our children it's not about it's not showing their life

it's showing their parents life yes exactly yeah like exploiting your children out like it's all over the internet and so i get i'm like am i exploiting my kid like i know just because like she's in the background or or she'll be in the background like you're exploiting your child i'm like how i'm not but it's like i get it because there is such a dangerous side of the internet and so i feel like for us like we because we went back and forth we're like do we hide their faces or do not because that was like a big thing and so people that do like totally respect that that's what they feel like they need to do as parents and like for us it's like we didn't want to hide like blur because i'm like that i feel like that's going to make people want to like really see them more and so in public they'll try to take a picture

of them and like so i feel like we have a healthy balance of protecting them but they're not a secret you know feel the same way y'all do about how y'all show your family and stuff i'm curious with ivy getting a little bit older i don't know how you guys have navigated this i have found it to be harder the older they get to even include them at all yeah because they're now having friends who understand social media yeah and drew is getting ready to go to kindergarten and in my the back of my mind, I'm like, I don't want her classmates watching her on social media and then saying something the next day. And so it's just interesting. It's like the baby phase. It's not a thought. Yeah. Because it's just a part of your life. And now they're like little humans finding

myself thinking about it so much more. We have those conversations all the time now because she's getting to school level and we feel the same way. Like I want her to live a normal life. Yes. And then her be able to choose if she wants to do social media one day or whatever. But definitely, yeah, I feel the same way. I feel like in some ways that could strip her in a sense of, like, of her childhood. She already feels this like, oh, people watch me or looking at me or, you know, funny. We've been talking about that too. As a parent, I keep thinking at some point, we've got to feel like we've got this thing under control.

And you really don't. It was every day that they get older, it just opens up a whole new can of worms where you're like, I thought I figured this out. And now I feel like I'm back at ground zero. Like, yeah. Are working backwards. I don't know. Relatable. It's intricate.

Yes, very much so. You mentioned postpartum depression. Mm-hmm. What was that experience like? Oh, gosh, that feels like forever ago, no. I feel like he went through it with me. Like, because, like, talking about firefighting and that compartmentalizing, I feel like he had to in a way.

It was weird, like different because I never experienced anything like it. Was this after Ivy? Ivy. Yes. Brewer, it's been heaven. Great. because I haven't experienced that at all. It was almost we had been together so long and that just introduced us to a new level

of each other and it was always just us. And then we added a responsibility, a huge responsibility for both of us to the equation. I feel like it was a big combination of all that. But yeah, that was my season of lack of purpose. It was just, I'm like, what am I doing with my life or am I put out to be a mom or I don't know. I was just sad all the time. How did you navigate it seeking professional help or did you go?

back to your doctor how did you know did you have the self-realization of like I think I have postpartum depression and then how is that for you being a paramedic being like within this world did you notice it in her was there a shift and then how did you navigate it as husband oh that's good i at like the two-week appointment when they ask you the questionnaire i don't remember do you remember oh yes before i had her i feel like because that's when i got diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy. And so I felt like I was kind of already getting a little depressed, but it was a feeling I never experienced.

So I was like, well, maybe it's not. Maybe it'll, after the baby comes, I'll be happy because I'll have a baby in my arms. Before I had her, I remember somebody telling me, like, be honest with yourself. I feel like the Internet has been positive in that way of going ahead and, like, get help if you need it. And so all that was already embedded in me. And so thankfully, and so at the questionnaire, I answered the questions honestly, because I was scared.

I'm like, are they going to take her away from me if they think that I'm not equipped because I feel depressed? But I remember somebody saying, like, they're not going to do that, like, just answer it honestly. And so I did. And then they called me literally the next day. And they're like, heaven, sweetie, are you depressed? And I had never put, like, claimed depression or ever said, I'm depressed. And so when she said that to me so gently and asked me, like, are you depressed? It, like, broke something in me.

And I'm like, wait. think I am so I went to the doctor and they um I was on medication for a little bit and that really helped because I was always so against medication I was just like no like God's got this I got to get my anxiety and but I just felt like such a peace about taking it and um so I was medicated and then obviously I talked to family and friends that was really helpful too was it your obie or your pediatrician it was the obie okay and then they made me feel so like normal they're like it's fine it's okay to take this it was almost i felt guilty for feeling that way after having a baby like shouldn't i be the happiest i've ever been but i was so sad like i loved her but and then that

added more guilt because i'm like wait she deserves a happy mom and i can't be that and so i'm glad it's very becoming more normalized to talk about it because i feel like back of the day it was like always hush hush oh yeah and so i feel like we're all in the generation of good to talk about it It makes people feel less crazy. It really is nuts how you can just start stacking these narratives that aren't true, though, where you're like, I should love this. Why aren't I happy? I just had this baby. I'm supposed to feel a certain way.

And then, wait, if I do fill out this questionnaire, they might take the baby away. And then you're like, holy smokes, you're down this, like, rabbit hole. It's hard to navigate, though, because, like, you hear stories of kids getting separated from their parents. And it's so easy to choose the worst-case scenario when you're in that state. I'll say that, like, I don't want to say that I never believed in it, but I thought, like, anxiety and depression was always kind of a choice. I was never around anybody, at least that I'm aware of, that had those issues when I was growing up. So I was like, oh, it's all right. Like, you can just be happy, you know.

It took us, her going through that and us going through it together for me to realize, like, oh, this is actually, like, an actual problem, you know? Like, she can't help the way that she feels. say more about what led you to have that realization I think I could just see it like us being together for so long and she has always been a happy person obviously I mean everybody see or you know most people see like how she is and that's pretty much how she is all the time just happy and like I've always loved her personality right that's why we're together but I could tell that she couldn't help the way she was feeling and that's I mean that's pretty much the gist of it it was a big realization

for me and then even with my job at the time being a paramedic you know it'd go and people would be say they were depressed or anxiety or whatever and it changed my attitude towards those patients that we would go to i mean it was difficult for us especially for her but it was eye-opening for me to learn i guess it was great though he helped me a lot i think making me not feel crazy you know yeah yeah because you could have he could have easily been like you're fine you know right Which is, it's funny because, like, that's how, honestly, that's how I felt in the beginning. I was like, oh, like, this was just the last couple days and, like, she'll be fine. And then it just kept on and kept on.

And then the questionnaire. And then I'm like, oh, dang. Like, if she's actually circling, yes, I feel this way, this is legit. Because if somebody gave me this piece of paper, no matter how I feel in the moment, I'm going to put it in. So I'm like, for her to circle, yes, I'm like, this is legit. Were you with her when she did that? Yes, I was. And I remember looking at him, like, is this okay?

Like, and I'm pretty sure I asked him the question, like, are they going to take her away, like, or whatever? And so for him to acknowledge, like, that it was okay for me to be honest and not feel crazy. He was very gentle with me, and that helped me heal a lot, I feel like. And then time. And then I remember somebody telling me about you're just a new version of yourself. Like, it doesn't, and that helped me, like, something healed in me. Because I kept being like, why do I not feel like myself or feel normal?

like the old me before her And like because I'm not, I'm a new me And that's like the best version of me And so it's almost like I needed to introduce myself To the new version of me And I don't know something like I guess like picturing that Made me be like okay So I'm new again

And like this is Devin Meet the new Devin like and let's go That's really well said Thank you I'll never forget I went through this with our third Okay not the first or second but the third and it was it was the first time I had experienced it and I was like this is new and like the feelings typically it's always like early on so I bet that was like shocking it was very shocking by the time our third came around our hospital they made new moms and dads very aware of the potential risks of like postpartum depression of like things to look out for and certain verbiage if you start hearing new moms start saying certain things or act a certain way they would like prep the dad always I remember when we came home with our first and our second and our second and our

a third. You had this like protocol. Yeah. And we would do it. And he'd be like, you are only allowed to watch comedies. You have to sit outside for like 30 minutes a day. We're going to go for a walk. We're going to eat healthy food. We're like, it was all these things. And I used to think it was crazy until the third. Okay. And then I was like, wow. And I just remember with the third, you would like take a chair and go sit it outside and you're like, you're coming outside with me. Man, it was tense too. It was not like a fun, sweet thing. It was like, I was fighting you to get out there but I was in a very dark place of the third and I was like okay and I would just like

mindlessly follow trying to think yeah like it would help it took a while it took a lot of repetition yeah it is hard and it they're having gone through it twice and been fine yeah that's so interesting but then the third it was like sorry I know you are in yeah I'm so curious just because like so I went through that with Ivy and then the brewer I was so scared. I was like, hey, I'm in a new place. Like, it'll be a new headspace. I was kind of prepared. And then I would wait and I'm like, wait, I feel good. And it's been great. And so I'm like, well, maybe like it wouldn't happen again. And so how did that? I don't know, but it's interesting hearing you say you thought anxiety and depression was a choice. Because

having gone through two and doing like this protocol that Andrew had come up with and like taking care of like my diet and whatever it was, I thought the same thing. I thought. oh I've like beat this you've solved I solved the issue like as long as you like take care of yourself whatever and then when our third came around and it just kind of happened it was the first time I was like there has to be something yeah involved as far as like chemical or like yeah because it was different I felt different and I couldn't change it and I don't know what it was and for us it was just time. I wasn't the brave enough one to circle the questionnaire right. Our questionnaires are at our pediatrician which I think is interesting. Oh wait it was at the

pediatrician after two week but the OB I guess they faxed it. Yes and the OB calls. So like I remember walking into the pediatrician and reading it and doing the same thing I'm like I'm there's no way I am ever circling I'm good I'm good I'm good but I do think there was a point where my pediatrician even looked at me and he was like how are you doing? And And I, it took every ounce of soul in my body not to just melt onto the floor. Because it would like pop a bubble. I know. And I was like, I'm not good, you know.

And he could tell. We would talk through some stuff. But it's hard. There is a, there is something that is just. Yeah. It's hard. You don't know how to explain it either. Well, I'm glad you're feeling better.

Feeling great. Yes. Yeah. Amazing. When did, how long did it take like for you to get better? Four months was probably the low. Like where it had kind of peaked to the low. Does that make sense?

And then we built up from there, which we did like a 16-week program. So it took a while to feel like myself. How about for you? I can't even remember. Like, I think I was on the medication for two years. Yeah. But through that, I was trying. I was scared to get off of it because I'm like, I'm so scared to feel that way.

Again, it took a while for me to talk myself out of it or like to get off of it because I'm like, I want to know if I'm better. I want to be better. And so I didn't want to rely on that. So I would say two years. But two years on like getting the help. but I feel like I felt better way before that. Like she was a year old and I felt better.

Yeah. Yeah. Because we had moved in with his mom and I just felt like we were going to, the whole, the whole social media, it all happened all at the same time. It just felt like we were stepping into a new season and it was going to be joyful and great. And obviously there's hardships, but yeah, it was like a new me, new season, all that. And then fast forward, you guys get pregnant with your second. Yes.

You have gone through this journey. You've gotten off medication. You're feeling good about yourself now. What conversations arose getting pregnant with a second with like, were you both fearful of what would happen? Were you speaking that to each other? Or was that kind of just being held? I think we talked about it a lot, I think, just like to prepare.

But I think we spoke about it in like a positive way. Like, I feel like it'll be better this time because it's easy or whatever. Well, obviously our life looks completely different with this one than it did with the first one. That was a big help. But we also, like she said, talked about it kind of in a positive way. Like, well, if it happens, we know we're going to circle yes on the questionnaire. And, you know, we're going to know, like, not to say that we are going to beat it, but we know at least how to navigate it and we'll be expecting it.

Whereas before it was so unexpected. And I think that was why it had such a big impact is like how she said, like, oh, I'm a new, shouldn't this be the happiest time? And so with the second one, we were expecting. and it didn't happen, thankfully, but... I will say your way, he was scared of it. Like, whenever we would talk about it, I found myself, I was comforting him, be like,

it's okay if it happens, like, whatever. But because he took such a toll like that, he carried a lot of that weight, like as a spouse, like it, I'm sure you can relate, like it, when seeing your person down like that, and there's nothing really you can do. And so I think he was so, like, worried more so. And then he was pleasantly surprised

whenever I was better. I think I'm like how they say Like the male is like the fixer You know there's like a problem Well we're just we're just figuring a fix That's 100% me I'm like when something's going on that I can't Not to say I could fix everything obviously

But when something's going on that I really can't do anything about I'm like This is rough Have you ever been through anything like that? A little bit Not on that level But like I will say that I have struggled with Kind of like what she talked about

her lack of purpose, like before social media. So I struggled with that a little bit. So similar but not really the depression. When did that struggle for purpose happen? Recently. Yeah. Actually, still, actually. Yeah. He really hasn't

shared about it. So this is, yeah. It's a hot take, I guess you could say. But I mean, now I don't feel like social media is, it kind of started out as her thing. And then I've kind of slowly made my entrance into it. Well, then the mustache thing so now it's an us thing so fast forward it got to the point to where it's either

going to go back to a her thing or it's going to be an us thing so that was the decision for me or for us i should say so obviously i left the fire department it's going to be an us thing but i don't feel like i feel like i feel like i'm saying the thing a lot but no i don't know if it's my thing you know um long term i enjoy making the videos that we make and stuff like that, but as far as, like, me personally, I don't really think that social media or being an influencer, content creator, whatever you want to call it, is my calling.

So I'm just trying to kind of figure out what that is. We had an interview yesterday. All I can think of is the treadmill. Our guest, he said he tried so many things to find his thing. I'll say the thing now. And the only way he could describe it was everything that he tried that wasn't his thing felt like he was on uh he was running on a treadmill

that was going the wrong direction like he was running forward but the treadmill was running the opposite and then all of a sudden he ended up trying comedy and he said it was the first time he felt like he was sprinting on a treadmill that was going the same direction and he was flying here yeah yeah i love an analogy that's great i can't own that that was a thousand percent that's what I tell him I'm like if you want to like be off of it you want to go get like a eight to five go back the fire department whatever there it is to like I'll support that just like he supported me and wanting to do doing social media um and so I think he's just in that trying to figure it out like what what's next for like hunter you know um and whether that

be us together or obviously we're together but you know yeah and um the brand yes but it does make me sad, like seeing him feel lack of purpose in that. Because I tell him, I'm like, I'm not Devin without Hunter. Like you, you know, he might see that as a my thing, but I'm like, no, it really is a thing. But I get that. I get his, because I felt that way. I felt like I was trying to figure out my purpose. And so I'm really praying and hoping that he like feels that like fulfillment soon of whatever is next for him, whether it's contentment in what we're doing now or there's something new he loves dirt bikes so I'm like maybe you go do something with dirt bikes like I don't know I don't have to pick your brain we need to learn all the dirt bike stuff

okay I saw that you started riding on your three yes my dad well my dad put me on a dirt bike the day I turned a month old classic dad yep I tried to do that with her she wouldn't let me I'm like we're trying to start a tradition our three-year-old rides dirt bikes that's all he wants to do I'll show videos, dude. And we don't know anything about this world. So I got my first dirt bike for my third birthday. Yes. And then I did take a little break from riding when I was in high school.

I kind of got into other traditional sports. But, yeah, I've always loved it still and back in it, thankfully. That's my love for sure. Would you ever go back to the fire department? I don't think so. Yeah. I did love it when I was there. I think that's one reason why I do struggle a little bit now is because I feel like I was

good at my job and there's a lot of stuff that doesn't give you fulfillment in a fire department but there's stuff that did um you know having a job doing a job and you're done with it kind of thing moving on i liked that but i don't think i would ever go back unless i had to i still have my paramedics license so if we were going hungry then yeah for sure but it's got to be nice having a paramedic license as a father it'd be so nice to have just that general knowledge oh it makes me feel good as a dirt bike father i'm like wait is he choking she's like if you're like yeah he's like yeah there's money and fame in entertainment though hunter what's not the like i know yeah see i'm not the fame yeah i asked obviously kidding but yeah

yeah is that you're about to clarify no i actually loved his aunt i love your answer because the amount of people you you guys probably get the same comments of like oh if only i had your life if only I had the following or the influence or whatever it is the money the whatever then what better thing in the entire world right and we literally just talked about this we just did a podcast on it on what is the definition of success and it's like I think it's finding purpose and fulfillment whatever you're doing yeah and that can be money and fame for some people and that can be the complete opposite for others but like it's different for every single person. So I secretly loved that you said that because it just goes to show that it's not all about

influence. Right. Well, I hate to, we don't really talk about it much because I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. Like a lot of people think that we have like a perfect life. Like I said, I don't want people to think that I'm complaining about the things that we have because just as an example, if it weren't for social media, I probably wouldn't be able to ride dirt bikes as an adult, right? When I was at the fire department, that probably would have never been an option. So I'm very thankful, you know, for the, but, but like you said, I don't know that I found, like, my success in it. Yeah, what you said was good, too, so. Because I will say whenever we were going back to when we first got married and we were broke, like, I don't even know how we survived on what we did, like, getting groceries and stuff.

We were the, we were so happy. I mean, we're still so happy, but we were, we still had so much joy in having, like, nothing. and we just had each other. And I'm like, that is, like, money does not buy happiness. It can buy you fun things, like, you know. But it's, like, the true joy that you feel in life and, like, the fulfillment doesn't come from worldly things and material things.

Like, it, that, you know, I just, yeah. Do you love the social media world? I do like it. Yes. I love my job, like, in doing it. And there's days where I do just want to, like, turn it off because it can be so loud. but I do enjoy it because I feel like I'm on the treadmill in the right direction

because that is that purpose and calling I felt three years ago in that searching for my purpose and it was this it looks a lot different than I thought it would in some ways I didn't know what influencing it but it is like I feel like I'm just going with a flow of like changing like we're starting a podcast and doing things that just I feel like bring joy and conversations and stuff. So I like it. Yeah. Like I don't see me doing anything different.

Yeah. Yeah. I could see it's definitely not for everybody. But TikTok's like it's done this weird thing where a lot of people have kind of been presented with this lifestyle. And it's like I don't actually know if I wanted this or like the acting business. You had to go to school or whatever and then you had to work your way up thing. TikTok was like, bam, right in your face and you're not prepared for it.

And you're like, it's crazy. Like you can get a million followers. Yeah. like just from a viral video like yeah wild how it happens i'm excited for you though bro i don't know it's like uh you're walking through the wilderness right now but yeah yeah for sure thanks it's gonna be good yeah and you're freaking in the prime time of your your your life right now two young kids so whatever whatever you do it's going to be phenomenal and it talk about such like a phenomenal example to your children to say like i reached you know worldly success what people

would define as that and I didn't feel fulfilled so I went and found it. Like that's really cool. Such a phenomenal example for your kids to grow up and get to see. Yes. Yeah. Thanks. I tell I'm so excited for that like how you said like you're excited for it because you know it's going to be good

and you find it. We still need mustache videos every once in a while. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I keep those up. Is this a football tattoo on your ring? Football? Yeah. No, it's a it's a skull actually. Sorry, sorry. Sorry, guys. It means till death. Till Death was my part.

It's hardcore, dude. That's freaking hardcore right there. Andrew, when are you going to get your skull tattoo on your rear? Yeah, I'm not the hard core. I've been trying to convince him to get tattoos. Do you don't have any? Uh-uh. Do you?

I have one. Skull? Yeah, it's a little, yeah, it's a skull. It's a heart. Do you have any? Yeah, I have a whole sleeve. No. I have, I have.

I have. I have many, but they're very small. Small. See, I like the little tiny stick of ones, too. I think I have like eight. Oh, well. Wow, okay. Honestly, you would rock a sleeve, though.

I just had that thought. Yeah, you totally would. Sure. It wouldn't surprise me. Like, it wasn't out of the box. But, like, he was like, let's go get matching tattoos while we're here. Yeah. You guys have some great tattoo on us.

Here? Yeah. Wow. Okay. Yeah, I have all, like, little. Yeah, see, I love those. Yeah. Like dainty.

Dainty. That's a great word for that. Yeah. Well, that's what I told him. I'm like, okay, we can go. I said, but then I feel like I need to go in and know what other ones I'm getting because I don't want just like a. Random one.

Oh, I impulsively went to get one and I got five. Okay. Yeah. Just kept going. Yeah. Yeah.

I have to say, that's my kind of thing. I'm like, I'll just get them all. He asked me this morning. He's like, hey, April 3rd, they got an opening.

Yeah. I'm like, your body's covered. Where are you going to put it? Got plenty of space left. True or false. Do you agree with this statement or not? Marriage is for personal fulfillment.

I'm trying to think to this life too, so just work with me. Do you agree with that or not? No. Well, yeah, I don't... Interesting. Why? I think you have to...

It's not about yourself. It's about the other person. Like, you have to wake up every day and choose to serve, especially when you have kids. Well, because there's a part of it that is personal fulfillment. Like, when you choose to marry somebody

because they make you feel good. They make you... But, and as, like, a Christian, like we are believers, and so we feel like that we're supposed to serve the other person. And so in a healthy relationship, if you're both doing that,

And you're both being fulfilled. Definitely. But I don't think like you go into it with that attitude. So it is true that a side effect of marriage is personal fulfillment, but that's not the purpose. Is that what you're saying? I think so. I think it's a good way to put it. I think I agree with it.

But that's my main takeaway from how you guys have described your story so far is like I think a wonderful example of like a willingness to sacrifice. Yes. And it's amazing. Like it's not. I know there's hurdles and hiccups you all have been through. but it's like it seems to have come from such this amazing place of like just love and connection and like keeping the main thing the main thing which was the relationship and then it's like sure I'll delay school which I'm sure that was a big discussion sure I'll leave paramedic school

the way you guys have talked about it is so unique and very refreshing so it's something we haven't heard it's something we believe in but it's something we have not heard which is really it's really refreshing oh thanks yeah thanks so nice That's a compliment. I like a testament to our relationship. Yeah. So, like, people see that, you know. You'd be surprised how many people we have talked to and been around where it's like, oh,

our jobs actually didn't align. So we got a divorce or whatever. There was no conversation or willingness to say, like, oh, I'll delay my job for a few years. It's like your time. And then it'll switch. And we'll go through those ebbs and flows in the roller coaster. It's such a healthy, beautiful, refreshing. It's the way they've talked about it, too.

I know. Because, like, there's no hesitation. Yeah, it's really unique. Oh, you're bringing me. Yeah, thanks, God. Seriously. Everyone needs to do it like that. Why is it important for you guys to talk about faith and why is it important for people to have faith?

Let's just solve the world's problems. The closing world problem question. It's come up several times. Yeah, I feel, well, the fate for me, going back to, like, that season of searching for my purpose, it was a, like, God put the steps in motion for this to even be possible. And I remember, like, specifically praying one day that he was going to lift me up so I could lift him up. And so it's not a me thing, but everything I do needs to glorify him. And I'm not perfect. And there's a lot of times where he, like, has to say, hey, this.

This is a little self-serving, Missy, you know. Go back to the roots. And so our relationship is on foundation of faith and believing in, like, my whole life is a testimony of what Jesus has done for me. And so I feel like I can only, like, repay what he's done for us to share it. And so I feel like, and now we don't, I don't feel called to, like, get on there and preach. We don't do that. But, I mean, if I felt like I was supposed to. but it's more of showing like he will know i hope my prayer is that people will know him through

me like by our fruits and so just seeing our relationship and how we act and all of that um because it is like it is people will message me and be like i can tell something's different and it's like it's our relationship with the lord you know yeah um and yeah for me it's like when we're a lot of people search for like a constant you know for us or for me it's god is that constant so like wherever we've been in our life like when we first got married how she said i don't thinking back like i don't know how we bought groceries and did everything we needed to do he's the same then as he is for us now and our worldly success that you know so that that's what it is for me obviously we're not perfect we've made mistakes and

everything and like she said we don't really feel like we're supposed to get on there and preach but yeah we hope that people i don't want to shut it down people's throats right you know we hope that people can see his light through us. Yeah. Yeah. Because I do feel all that worldly success stuff. It's such a temporary satisfaction feeling. And so I feel like that is what people who don't have a constant,

they're just searching for the next thing. And so having that constant, like everything else around us can fall apart. But having that foundation, like we're okay. And that's why we can have true joy because we're not relying on worldly things to give us joy. But him as our constant does. That's really good. You guys have said some great stuff. I'm grateful to have met you in person.

Oh, likewise. Yes, likewise. I hope this is a beginning of a friendship. For sure. Yeah, I'm excited for what's next. But keep doing your guys' thing because you have made a positive impact, no matter how much longer you keep doing it or not, or you want to keep doing it or not.

But in your family life, with your kids, with the content that you make. And certainly that carries over to your community, I can only imagine as well. You're starting a podcast. Oh, so we had one, yes, and we started it over a year ago. Yeah, yeah. And I was pregnant, and we took a break.

And so, but we're starting about talking, starting it back up. And so it would be more so me and him. Okay. Yeah, we'll have to have y'all on. Called the Salty podcast? Love it. What else are you excited about? Can't really say much, but we are starting to talk about maybe a brand.

Oh, wow. Dang. That's another hot take. Dang. And the, the Andar Oh, your bag is incredible. Oh, you love it. I love it.

Yay. We fought over it when everyone saw it. Oh, wait, that's so nice. Yeah. Did you bring it today? Is it here? It's hanging in my closet. Okay.

Because it does look good on you. It does. It does. Great job. Thank you. It was truly a pleasure. Oh, it was, this has been fun. Yeah. Like, see, I can just keep talking.

I know. Like, I want to hear about y'all now. I know. Like, let me swap. We'll be on your pocket. Yes, yes, yes, yes, can't wait. Learn more about Hunter and Devin and the show notes down below, but thank you guys for your time.

Thank y'all. Thank you. Thanks, guys. Oh, that was so fun.