My parents divorced when I was about five or six years old. This came as no surprise to everyone around them. My father had been an alcoholic for many years, and it was only a matter of time before it took a toll on their marriage. After the divorce me and my mom moved in with my grandma. My dad would still send me presents to me on my birthday and at Christmas, through a guy that worked with my mom. My dad moved back to his home state, Michigan. By the time I was eight or nine, I felt stable and even happy. I liked living with my grandma.

It was nearly that time that we had to move out of our house that we were staying at. My grandma was able to move in with my Aunt Linda and Uncle Gary. My mom met a guy named Paul Edward (Eddie) Scoogins. My mom and I were able to move in with him, but the bad thing was that I had to change schools. Eddie had a daughter named Kayla, who was 1 year and 2 months older than me.

At first, yeah sure, we got along, but we didnt know much about each other. But that was as long as it lasted. My mom and Eddie were engaged and when someone asked me I still called him my step dad, no matter how mad I was at him.

We lived there for atleast seven years. It may have not been the best house in the world, but it was a place I could call "home."

We had to move out of that house on Sunday, October 2, 2005 because Eddie died of a massive heartattack on Tuesday, September 27, 2005.

Eddie was not always a perfect man-sometimes he was unfair and sometimes hurtful, but when it came down to it he was a great guy. Eddie disappointed me a lot. But when I look back on the last seven years of my life, I am not disappointed. He was only human and no human is perfect. He did teach me how to make electricity out of a piece of cardboard. Some children never meet their real fathers and they dont even have a stepfather to take their place. I was very fortunate enough to know my real father for five years plus my stepfather for seven years.

My mom and I are growing stronger everyday. My mother is there whenever I need her and I am there for her whenever she needs me.

As I look at a picture taken by my mom of me and my stepdad Eddie, I say a prayer and wait for a moment. i recall everything about my dad and stepdad- the good and bad alike-and I remember the men my father and stepfather were!