It’s a bird. It’s a plane. Nope! It’s our super cover family.
Jason and Melissa Mez both work full time as veterinarians. Jason is a board-certified equine surgeon with a special interest in lameness and orthopedic surgery. Melissa is a small animal veterinarian and works mainly on dogs and cats with an interest in internal medicine.
After meeting at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Melissa—a Michigan native— joined Jason in the Black Hills after practicing small animal medicine in Ohio. Jason, originally from Nebraska, has lived in the Black Hills since 1998, except for his three-year residency in Texas.
BHP: What are some of your family’s super powers?
Ha! Our super powers are just getting four kids under the age of five fed, dressed, happy, and out the door every morning before work or wherever we are going. We have quite the routine down and a Ford Expedition with four car seats!
BHP: What do you do for fun?
We love being outdoors! These boys need plenty of room to explore, climb, and play. Bridger and Cannon love fishing with their Dad all year long. We all love packing up the 4-wheeler and picnicking and fishing at Dalton Lake on weekends during the summer. They are also quite the little cowboys! We love going to our friend’s ranch in St. Onge where our horses stay. The boys love anything to do with ranching—riding and roping, just kicking the dirt!
BHP: How do you save the day (Best advice for parents)?
We don’t save the day…we just get THROUGH the day! Raising four little boys is not easy. We just do the best we can…we give them our time, our love, and all of our energy. And by 8pm, we all quiet down for bedtime stories; it’s a favorite part of the day for ALL of us!
Our best advice for parents? Don’t sweat the small things. Set rules and keep them. And, don’t be afraid to get dirty. We have learned that MOST things all wash off! Our kids love nothing more than when we get a little dirty with them.
BHP: Why the Black Hills?
Jason loves hunting, fishing, and archery; he fell in love with the Black Hills many years ago. Melissa came to love the area as well for its beauty and the wonderful people who live here. “This is the perfect place to raise our four boys.”
Images courtesy of Legacy Photo and Design