Gisele Opens Up About Husband Tom Brady & Being A Stepmother To His Son John Edward

Marriage and step-motherhood have come naturally to Gisele Bündchen – who in February wed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 18 months after his former girlfriend, model-actress Bridget Moynahan, gave birth to Brady's child, John Edward Thomas Moynahan.

"It was definitely a surprise for both of us," the supermodel, 28, tells Leslie Bennetts for Vanity Fair's May issue.

Yet the baby's arrival in their lives, Bündchen insists, has not detracted from her bliss. In fact, little John Edward has contributed to it. "In the beginning you're living this romantic fantasy; you're thinking, This can't be true, it's so good!" she says "And then, Whoops – wake-up call!"

The rude awakening came 2½ months after she had met Brady through a friend in late 2006, when she was instantly attracted to him thanks to his charismatic smile, she says. With Moynahan's news, however, "[I]t was a very challenging situation," says Bündchen.

"Obviously, in the beginning, it's not the ideal thing." And, obviously, doubts arose. "You question at times – 'Should I stay here? Maybe you should work this out,' " says Bündchen. "But when people break up, it's for a reason."

In the end, working with Brady to deal with the baby, "was a blessing, because otherwise I don't think I would have known what he was made of, and he wouldn't have known what I was made of," she says, noting his integrity and "the way he was a good person through all the times. I was like, You have the heart in a good place! It made me feel more in love with him; it made me realize who he was."

As a result, says the new bride, who, with Brady, is due to celebrate their marriage with family and friends in Costa Rica this Friday, "Our relationship has become so much stronger, and I think I wouldn't be as certain as I am today if it weren't for that."

What makes Brady perfect for her, says Bündchen, the world's highest paid supermodel, is: "He's very close to his family. He's Catholic. His parents have been married 40 years. He's got a pure heart. That's all that matters – he's got the purest heart. I feel grateful because I have a lot of love in my life. I found the person I'm sharing my life with. I have a good man."