I wanted to take some time this evening just to remember the things I remember about Sam.

Michael should be writing this moreso than I, considering he grew up with him, went to school with him, and played ball with him. Michael is actually closer to Sam's younger brother, David, but he goes way back with Sam, too.

Michael and I starting going to Bethel Baptist Church right after we got married. I can remember meeting Crissy (who would soon become his wife) and I remember thinking that she resembled Sarah Michelle Gellar for whatever reason. This was in June 2000, and they were going to get married in October 2000.

Sam wasn't very tall, wasn't very short. He was actually a pretty good looking guy, brown hair, I think his eyes may have been hazel or green. Michael told me he used to wear sideburns that Crissy hated. He had a very southern accent. He was a deisel mechanic for a living. He was 1 out of 7 siblings.

I remember going to their wedding in October of 2000. It was not even four months after we got married. Their wedding was gorgeous, complete with candles, flowers and beautiful music. I will never forget getting all weepy at their wedding, as our wedding day was not too far in the past. Crissy looked beautiful and Sam wore the biggest smile on his face as she came down the aisle towards him. I just thought they made a beautiful couple. At the reception, they seemed so happy. They were going to leave from there to go to Disney World for their honeymoon.

Later on that same October, I found out I was pregnant with our first child, and maybe a month later, Crissy found out she was pregnant with their first child. I was due in July, she was due in September. She was probably the only person, besides family, to call me while I was in labor to see how I was doing, plus she wanted to know what it was like since she would soon be going through the same thing. After Travis was born, she came to the hospital to visit us and I remember her showing me her stretchmarks on her pregnant belly. September came, and we went to visit her in the hospital as well. What I remember most was how nervous Sam was, picking up his first newborn son to hold him, and once again, he wore a happy smile, just like the one on their wedding day. Then in 2002, they found out they would be having another baby, another boy.

Sam was a good father. He worked hard and had a good job to support the family so Crissy could stay home with their kids. He always had a good sense of humor. He took their oldest son to ball games.

And now, all of that is gone. Nothing left but memories. And pictures. Pictures that I'm wondering if his sons will ever see. And if they do see him, will they ask questions about their father? And if they ask questions, what will people say to them about their father? And when they tell them about their father, what will they tell them about why their father did what he did? Someday, I am sure they will find out. Sam's boys look just like him, and they will always see their own father when they look in the mirror.

Right now, I just pray for Crissy, that she can straighten up her act and be the best mom that she can possibly be for those two boys, because now...she is all they've got. I know a lot of people are saying bad things about her, which I can't say I haven't felt anger towards her, but I am not going to say anything bad about her. She will pay for her mistakes. We all reap what we sow, good or bad, pure or evil. And Sam, he's in heaven now, no longer dealing with the pain, and he will always be remembered.