Let me start at the beginning.

My son was born July 18, 1978 in Kansas City Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri. His father's name is Douglas Wayne Henley.

Before my son was born, I "knew" that I would outlive him. No, nothing was wrong with him. In fact, he was perfect! I had been given the knowledge that I would outlive him. Why? Only God knows. Maybe, so that I would appreciate every single moment of his life. I did.

I loved him as much as any one person could possibly love another. And, I know, he loved me.

When he was fourteen months old, his father left me for another woman. How many times have you heard that? I would stay home for every holiday, Billy's birthday, etc., hoping that he would call and talk to his son. After about two years of this, I decided it was time to get on with life and did.

Billy wasn't perfect...but he was a wonderful child. And cute....okay, so I'm a mother who thinks her child is the best looking in the world.

There were many wonderful moments that I hold dear to my heart. Like when he was two and we were having problems with him keeping his hands off the television controls. His little hands were spanked so many times. However, when I looked into the living room one time when it was way too quiet, I saw him standing in front of the t.v. He started to raise his hand towards the knobs, then put it down. He did this several times, not realizing that I was watching him. He finally did that "straight leg sit" that only a baby can do and said "No No!" very emphatically. I was so proud of him and he was so cute. If only I had a video camera to have captured that day.

He named a little kitten we had around that time. I had made the comment that the kitten looked like it was chocolate colored. Billy couldn't quite stop when he got his tongue around that word and the kitten became "Chocolata-lata-lata".