Kaiden and Katie were about 9 or 10 years old when both came to spend the weekend with us (their dad, their younger brother- Nicholas, and myself). Kaiden and Katie were constantly playing, plotting and scheming their next game or entry into another universe. This time was no different.  Upon their arrival, they immediately went to work in another room barely seeing them. They came out long enough to eat dinner and then back to work they went. When it was time for bed, they got into bed. Their dad allowed them to go to sleep with the TV on, however, I always went in and turned it down low as I knew Kaiden would never go to sleep otherwise.  A few hours later, I get into bed.  I hear a TV. I slowly open the door where Kaiden and Katie were sleeping only to discover Katie sleeping soundly while Kaiden grinned from ear to ear, laughing and watching Friday ("Oh my neck. And my back. Oh my neck and my back!"). Fearful of scarring Kaiden for life, I took out the movie and turned off the TV.  I clearly see him now, grinning and laughing.  Thank you, Kaiden, for the joy and laughter you brought into our lives

I paid way too much money for Invisalign so this boy could have perfect teeth. What's he do? He pays way too much money for a removable gold grill! He kept that from me because he knew I would fuss at him. When I asked him about it he said that Uncle Zach was "dry snitchin" on him. He would not fess up. Mysteriously, the gold grill came up missing after the accident. I guess someone stuck it in their pocket so they could cash in on it. What a shame all the way around. But, this was the ornery side of him.

These were his shipmates. They have 'adopted' me as I have them. I love each of them because he loved them. I send care packages each month because I want them to remember him forever. If he was on deployment with them then he'd be getting lots of care packages so this is a great diversion. He's there with them on the ship and I know he's looking after them.

At work at Home Depot. He only worked there for a few months. Now I drive past that very same store every day. What I wouldn't do to drive thru there and see him loading stuff into someone's car for them.

This was the last day I hugged his neck and kissed his forehead. They wouldn't let me go to the gate with him and I was really mad. I would have thrown a fit but he told me not to. If I had known it was the last time I would see him then I would have fought that lady. This was in December of 2015. I never saw him again. I watched him all the way through the security check. He looked back at me several times and I tried not to cry. I thought I would see him again but I was so sad because I knew it would be several months. As it turned out, it was the last time I would see him.