We moved in to our new home in Dec. 1993, 2 days before Christmas. I remember James always telling me that he wanted a brand new home in his lifetime, but never thought it would happen. During the time our house was being built, we still lived in our apartment. Every single day, sometimes twice a day, he would say "2440"?, meaning our new street address - and we'd jump in our car and go even if Kelley was asleep. We would get her up, put her in her car seat sound asleep, and drove out to see our house! A funny story happened one night, on one of our trips out to Creek Crossing. James decided since the carpet was being put in the next day, that the workers's never cleaned the floors beforehand, so he wanted to vacuum the slab. Yes, the concrete. When we got there, it was dark and people were still there working. So we waited for them to leave, then pulled in the driveway. Then we both vacuumed the heck out of every room! Suddenly, cops were at the door. The workers saw us pull in, and thought we were stealing stuff! When the cops realized we had a key, and we were vacuuming an unfinished house with no carpet, they knew we were just crazy people and not burglars! Finally it was finished, and we got settled in. Since Kelley was born premature, I didn't want to leave her to go to back to work. James had a work injury from the Postal Service, and had been off having multiple surgeries since before she was born. Roger & Sandra Hayes were having their first child, and asked me if I would take care of the baby when Sandra had to go back to work. And the rest is history. James had been home the first 3 years of Kelley's life, so we were a team. Over the next 18 years, God blessed me with a consistent amount of children to take care of which in turn, allowed me to be home every day of Kelley's life. We made so many wonderful friends, loved so many children as if they were our own, and gave Kelley an amazing childhood. James was off and on from work with different injuries over the next few years, and wound up being home with us more than not! We had a routine, a beautiful home and family, we entertained ALL the time, and life couldn't have been better. James loved to bowl, I loved to play Pokeeno with the girls, we did yard work together, and I developed a love for doing home projects. So many memories are flooding back, and I know it sounds like James' injuries were no big deal. I guess since they started when we met, and never ended, I just got used to it always being something. But as everyone close to us knew, that man suffered like crazy. He was in nearly constant pain our entire marriage, but still always had a smile on his face. Always joking and being silly, making me laugh so hard. We became closer and were rarely apart, did everything together. He spoiled Kelley and me rotten! I've never seen anyone love a child like he loved ours. He was the ultimate dad and husband. This man would be in extreme pain, but insisted on taking Kelley anytime she asked, wherever she wanted to go. I never doubted for one second how much he loved me. He would clean or do laundry when he didn't feel well, "just so I wouldn't have to", is what he told me. He was everything to me, including my best friend. We told each other everything, things other people couldn't believe! He always said that he told his friends that he had nothing to hide from me. As Kelley grew, we had major birthday parties and huge Christmas parties. We had a Santa that began coming to our house when Kelley was 4, and every year after that until she graduated high school! Those days went by way too fast. Every day, he took Kelley to school and picked her up, along with her various friends that needed rides home. At around 2:00 in the afternoons, he'd go into her room, clean up her messes, hang up her clothes, and fix her a glass of water and a snack that would be waiting on her nightstand when she came home at 3:00. Who does that??