I was only nine years old when it all started. I had great Christian parents to lead and guide me. We had a great pastor and church that we could depend and lean upon when needed. Life was great.

      My sister, Camille and I were best friends with the pastor's daughter Janelle. The three of us were inseparable. We would, more often than not spend countless nights at each other's houses. You know how it is for young girls; staying up late talking, giggling and planning to spend the rest of your life with the cutest boy in town, even if he never looked your way. We had great times together; but as we grew up our lives went in different directions and we eventually lost touch altogether. Such is life.

      Janelle lived right across the road from us in a small limestone parsonage. It wasn't great to look at on the outside, but the inside, wow, Mrs. Harris was a great interior designer for a stay at home mom. Not everyone could take two colors from the rainbow, throw them together and have the results that she got. She always said to me, "Samantha, God gave us all the colors of the rainbow to work with. Why not use them?" And use them she did. She had to have had at least twenty different colors blended in each room. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch but it seemed that way as a child.

      I remember the day it all started. It is as clear as if it were just yesterday. It is burned in my mind forever. It was a Saturday morning, and since there was no school, I was bugging my mom to let me go across the street to spend the day with Janelle. Finally she gave in to my pleading and said "Oh, alright. I need to mop the floors anyway. Go ahead and have fun. Call Mrs. Harris first and make sure it's alright with her though."

      I called and of course she said yes without hesitation. I packed up some of Janelle's and my favorite dolls and clothes to take with me so I wouldn't have to come back home until suppertime. It was roast night and I knew I wouldn't want to miss that. Mom was the only one I knew that could make a roast that seemed to melt in your mouth like butter. I never got the chance to learn her secret to her "melting roast".

      As I was starting towards the road, Mom called after me. "Don't forget to look both ways before you cross the street." I remember looking back at her to answer that I always do. She looked so beautiful for a stay at home mom with two young daughters. She always kept her hair pulled up in a tight bun right on top of her head. Most women that wore their hair that way looked old to me, but not Mom. There was something about her that seemed to say she would never look old. "I will Mom. I love you. See you at supper." I yelled.

"Love you too sweetie!" She called.

      So off I ran to play the day away with Janelle. I had no idea my life was about to change forever, and I had no clue that I would never see my mother again.