IN THE BEGINNING

 God created Adam and Eve, Bob and Laurayne. Things were good in 1983. Bob was a career Army officer and I was a displaced Teacher of the Handicapped. Soon we began our family in Kansas with the birth of our first child, Thomas Matthew. Within two years we moved to Germany and a few years later welcomed second son, Jonathon Taylor. Life was good, but something was missing! Lo and behold it was our third child and first daughter, Jordan Adele. Life was now complete!

We lived the average "American military lifestyle" of sports and dance and deployments. In 2001 we gathered our family and made our final military move to NJ where Bob would work his last few years and retire. Well maybe for our family... not so much.

September 11, 2001 was the day reality that changed our lives and took us on a roller coaster ride that spun out of control. In October 2001 Bob received orders to head to Kuwait and eventually to the "sandbox" that encompassed all of the war zone theatre. After spending over 2 years in the combat zone, he returned to complete his career and begin retirement. None of us knew what lie ahead.

In May 2004 Bob was diagnosed with Hodgkins' Lymphoma and life as our family knew it, changed forever. The next two years were filled with setback after setback and hurdle after hurdle though Bob fought long and hard. After a tireless fight he, lost the battle and the war in May of 2006. Our family was now minus a leader, but plus an angel.

Having 3 months of "closure" was both a blessing and a curse. Though we knew the end was insight, together we made plans for the future for our little family and it felt good to have a road map to outline these plans. Life would not be easy, but it would be easier with our recipe written in stone on paper. I never thought I would say this but, thank God for closure time.

Armed with our battle plan road map, the kids and I marched on, continuing life as we had planned. I was teaching again and the kids were in schools and universities at various places throughout the country. We were busy, healthy and moving forward.

I really never had contemplated dating or remarriage. I was thriving barely hanging on and couldn't really think of more than putting one foot in front of the other. What I did know was that I would need support. Not just my extended family and friend's support, but REAL support from the ranks that were on the Widow Road ahead of me.

In October of of 2006 I joined a popular online support group for people in my boots. I found acceptance and friendship there on a level that meant so much to me. People there KNEW what I was going through and were there anytime of the day or night to help. I realized that I had friends without faces and it was good.

What I didn't know was that, in another country, on a cold October day, a man was weeping by his wife's bedside as she went from this world to the next. What I didn't know, was that this man would reach out to the very same group for support that I did. What I didn't know, was that this man was God's plan for my future.

In April 2007, Ferdinand and I met and began a friendship that would blossom over the next several months into a romance. Through our grief and misfortune, we clung to one another and weathered the storms that grief often throws. We raised and nurtured our children and we began to see that, for us, two was so much better than one.

September 2007 brought about our marriage and in early November we officially blended our families under one roof. For Jordan and I it meant moving to Canada. For Ferdinand, Harley and Hope it meant moving from living with parents and grandparents to living in their first home! For Jon and Matt it meant having their Mom and sister in another country while they completed college and began their lives. It was an exciting time for all.

Today our blended family is happy, well adjusted and thriving.  We are aware of our pasts but READY FOR OUR FUTURE!