Julia and Natalie were a handful. They looked almost exactly alike, the only difference being their hair color.
Kendrick had to work more, he was close to getting a promotion right after the girls were born, so mom helped me teach them how to walk and talk. Mom loved helping me with them. It brought her so much joy to be teaching children again. I had gone from having one beautiful daughter to having three. It was hard to adjust and I had a much busier schedule, but I loved it. My little girls were a joy, and I loved having them around.

After the girls had learned how to walk, mom and I sat down and watched them play with their toys. They played quietly together, trying to smash little blocks into little holes.

Mom smiled at me and laughed a little, causing me to turn my head and give her a quizzical look.

"Oh, it's nothing," she smiled. "I'm just enjoying being a grandmother. The girls are beautiful, Tabby. They take after you. They're learning very quickly, and they're all gonna be smart and beautiful. Just like you."

I smiled a little and watched them play, working together to get the right pegs in the right holes. When one would go in the hole, they'd clap excitedly and pick up a different peg and start the proses once again.

"Yeah," I smiled, "I suppose they do a little bit, but that's only because I take after you."

My mom smiled, crying a little as she gave me a side-hug and kissed my forehead.

"You're still with Kendrick, going on eight years of marriage. He's a wonderful father, you're a wonderful mother, taking all of your responsibilities seriously and taking care of everything, and everyone, all while still making time for yourself. I'm so proud of you, Tabby. You're doing everything right, and you're giving your children everything I couldn't give you."

I gave my mom a big hug and a tear escaped my eye. It made me so happy to know that my mother was proud of me. It touched me and I was beyond happy to know that I was doing everything right.

"It means so much to hear that, mom. You have no idea. Thank you, mom. You're the reason I'm who I am today, you taught me everything I know. I'm going to live rest of my life trying to be as good of a person as you are."

She smiled even wider at me and kissed my hair again, and then she went downstairs and made my favorite food for dinner, something she would do every time she was proud of something I did.

I just smiled and looked back at my two youngest daughters, knowing that one of my three girls would be where I am someday, and that I need to prepare them just like my mother prepared me.



Even though he did have to work a lot more, he still managed to be home in time to help Paige with her homework and read her a bedtime story before she went to bed. Paige really loved having that quality time with her dad and he really loved spending time with her. It really was their little bit of quality time. He had almost completely mastered the Logic skill, so he was very good at explaining things to her in ways she could understand. It was cute to watch, and I was happy that my daughter had the father I could have only dreamed of having.



When Julia and Natalie's birthday came around, I invited over Courtney and her triplets. Yes, that's right, Courtney had triplets. Two girls, and a boy. Regina, Ursula, and Eric. Their birthday had been a few days before, but rather than having two different parties, we all just had one big one. That being said, there were five cakes and five young children. To say it was chaotic is an understatement. However, when it was Julia's turn to blow out her candles, I don't think I ever saw her more excited. Maybe it because she knew she was going to be getting cake once everyone was done blowing out their candles.



When it was Natalie's turn, she giggled a lot and blew her candles out with a huge puff of air. She was pleased to have blown them all out, and since she was the youngest, and the last to blow out the candles on her cake, everyone ran to get a slice of one cake or another.

Needless to say, after a whole bunch of cake, all the kids were hyper, so we let them loose in the back yard, where they all played on the mini playground we had back there, having a blast and enjoying themselves until late in the evening when Courtney and her family had to head home.

We said goodbye to each other and hugged. It had been almost two months since we saw each other, the both of us being so busy with our young children. She had quit her job, swearing up and down that one day she'd get back into it, but I could tell that she wouldn't be able to, and that made me sad because I knew that she wouldn't be able to fulfill her lifetime wish.



Two years later, it was Kenny's 37th birthday, and my 35th was a few days later. We had a small party that consisted of our close family friends, and we went out to dinner together. It was a small party, but still a party. We were both full-fledged adults now, with three children, and fairly advanced in our careers. I was a level 9 painter, and he was a level 7 in the athletic career track. Mom took the girls out for a night so Kenny and I could have the house to ourselves, which was something we both appreciated.



In her later years in life, mom took up gardening. She loved it, and would spend most of the day outside tending the garden. She'd come back in at the end of the night and teach me new recipes using all the fruits and vegetables she harvested that day. It was a fun and unique experience that we both enjoyed. I loved cooking with my mother, and when we cooked together, the meal was always so much better than when we cooked on our own.




Kendrick and I stayed close, even after 15 years of marriage. Being with him was how being with someone was supposed to be. Things weren't perfect, we had our disagreements, but he was my best friend, he was everything I wanted and everything I needed. He understood me and I understood him, and he was always home, every night and he was always there to sleep by my side. He always whispered in my that he loved me, and he'd always hold me when we drifted off to sleep together. He was the man my father could have never been. He was the best husband that I could have ever asked for, and the best thing that had ever happened to me. I loved him with every part of my soul, and I knew that he felt the same way about me. I trusted him completely, and I was beyond glad to have him in my life.




When Paige's 13th birthday rolled around, I invited the family and a few of her friends. She had a great party and I had a lot of fun too, but I also realized that she was a teenager, and soon she'd be driving, bringing home boys, going to prom, staying out late, and the thought of all of that scared the living hell out of me.




Paige was a beautiful teenager. She looked quite a bit like me when I was her age. That thought made me smile. For her birthday we got her a keyboard, a guitar and a bass. She was musically talented and she was beyond excited to get those instruments for her birthday.

The party lasted a few more hours, but it was on a Sunday night, so I sent the girls upstairs to go to bed, letting Paige stay up an hour later than her younger sisters, and that seemingly gave her quite a bit of joy.



When Kendrick and I went to bed that night, I smiled as we laid in each others arms and he kissed my forehead and mumbled into my hair.

"Do you remember how we met?"

I laughed softly, "Oh, how could I forget?"

He chuckled a little.

"I don't know, but I do enjoy reflecting upon the story."

"You mean Tina, your cousin embarrassing the hell out of me?"

"It couldn't have been that embarrassing. All she did was tell me that you thought I was attractive."

"Oh no," I started, "It was much worse than that."

"Oh was it?" He questioned.

"Yes, yes it was."

"Then tell me how awful it was." He chuckled.

"Alright, alright." I laughed, "So basically, Tina invited me over to hang out and watch some movies, and I was totally cool with that. Watching movies, popcorn, hanging out, it was all fun. So, I cam over. In my god-awful pj's and my hair in a mess. She didn't tell me that you and your friends were there. So, I walk in, carrying The Notebook and a box of popcorn and then I see you, and like your four friends all sitting there and chilling out. I saw you first and I thought you were so hot, I could not stop blushing."

"I could tell," he laughed, "You were so adorable."

I blushed a little bit and continued explaining exactly why the experience of our first meeting was so embarrassing, "So then, Tina comes down and we go upstairs into her room and the very first thing I ask her is 'Whoa, who's that really hot guy downstairs?' and she asked if I meant you, and I said yes, and she said, 'Oh, that's my cousin. Sorry. I didn't think about telling you he was here visiting.' I fell back on her bed. I was so embarrassed. Especially since when I first saw you I couldn't stop blabbing on about what I was there doing. So, then Tina goes downstairs to pop the popcorn and I suppose that's when she told you what I thought about you."

"You would be correct in thinking that." He smiled.

"She comes back up, we watch a few movies, we fall asleep, the next day I come downstairs and there you are in a pair of boxers getting some cereal and I squeak out of embarrassment and then you turn around and we start to talk..."

"I noticed how beautiful you looked as you were coming down the stairs. Your hair was all wild and messy, but it was beautiful, it framed your face perfectly. You had this unzipped hoodie on and it was off one shoulder and the sun was coming in through the main window. It danced off your hair and the skin on your shoulder and reflected in your eyes. Your cheeks were so red, I laughed a little. You were simply too cute. So, when we started to talk and I saw that you relaxed a little, I asked you out on a date."

"In the middle of your aunts kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers."

"Yup."

"And I squeaked out a very excited yes and gave you my number."

"And we went out on our first date two days later." He chuckled, kissing my lips softly.

"Mhmm, indeed we did." I laughed a little, kissing him back softly and lovingly.

"Now look at us, 17 years later, married for 15 years, with three beautiful daughters, still as in love as ever." He smiled widely, kissing me once more.

I smiled and snuggled into him whispering softly, "Yeah, I'm really happy about that. Thank you for not being like my father, Kenny. Thank you for loving me, and our children. Thank you for keeping your promises and staying with me. Thank you for being a wonderful husband and father. I love you more than I can say."

He gave me a deep, reassuring kiss, "Tabby, it;s my pleasure to love you, our kids, to keep my promises and to spend every second possible with you. I love you more than anything, Tabby, and I will never, ever hurt you, and I will never, ever, ever be like your father."

I smiled and looked into his eyes and we stayed like that for quite some time. How long, I'm not sure. All I know that was that night, I slept peacefully in the arms of the man who loved me and that I loved.



Two months later, my mom got news that my father, Don Lothario, had passed away two nights before. She was completely heart broken. I never really knew my father, so the fact that he was gone didn't really upset me. But it broke my mothers heart. It was like watching her after the divorce all over again. She was so upset, it was painful to watch.

I heard her crying in the bathroom that was next to her room. I went inside to see her crying while sitting up next to the wall. My mom looked broken. It was the only time I had ever seen her that way, and I had no idea what to do.



I helped her up and held on to her shoulders.

"Mom? Why are you so sad? I thought you hated my father."

"Oh, sweetheart," she breathed, "I never hated him. I could never hate him. I loved him more that you could fathom. He was the love of my life, Tabby. I dated many guys before your father, and even one or two after, but he was the one I loved the most, he was the one I wanted to be with more than anything else. He was the man I loved. I have a box underneath my bed with all our wedding photos, and the ring he gave me."

"But he cheated on you, and you divorced him. If you loved him so much, why did you divorce him, momma?"

"Because I was mad, and I was hurt. But one gets over being mad and hurt after 30 or so years my dear. I'm not saying I regret the divorce, because that divorce gave me your beautiful sister, but god damn, honey, I loved your father, and no one, I really do mean no one else could compare to him."

I looked in her eyes and I saw all those years of sorrow and loneliness. My heart broke for her and I gave her a big hug.



"I'm sorry, momma." I whispered.

She cried a little into my shoulder. "I just wish I could have told him before he died that I was in love with him just as much as I was when we got married, but now he'll never know."

"No mom, I'm sure he knows. I'm sure he knows."

She cried harder into my shoulder and I held onto her. My mom had always been so strong, so to see her like this broke my heart. She sounded so old, and weak, like she was about to break for the last time and I started crying too.

"I loved your father. Remember that. I loved him, and he gave me you. He loved you, too. I hope you know that."

The tears started coming a little bit faster and I whispered, "I know mom. I know."



Three days later I got up int the middle of the night to go get some water. I walked passed my mothers room and I didn't hear anything in there. I looked inside and I saw my mother. I went over to her, and I touched her shoulder. It was cold. I called 911 and they came and confirmed that she had died in her sleep in the middle of the night.



We had her funeral a few days later and we laid her to rest in the back yard underneath a willow tree, right next to my father. We held a funeral service for her and the entire town came, showing their respects for my mom.



A few months after my moms funeral, I found out that I was preggers once again, and the doctor confirmed it when I went in the next day. It was at that point Kendrick and I decided to re-build our home.



The old house was torn down, save a few pieces, and the new one was built and finished three months later. We had one guest room put downstairs, and one put upstairs that could easily be converted into a bedroom. The house was huge. But even though the house and most of the things inside were new, I still thought of my mom all the time, and it was hard not having her around, and I could often times be found crying in the kitchen. Kendrick would always just come up behind me and kiss my hair and assure me everything was okay. I believed him, for the most part. I still missed my mother dearly, though.



Not too long after the new house was built, I had another surprise. Another set of twins, and this time, they were boys. Everyone, welcome Chase Alec Stephens (left) and Scott Don Stephens (right).

Looks like we needed that second upstairs guest room after all.