Kelly Confidential

When Ray was in 2nd grade, we passed a homeless person on the street and he said to me, "I want him to have my boots because his shoes are all worn out", I saw his compassion and it touched me and I cried because I realized that I had blinders on. Together we went to a discount store close by for wool socks and boots, when we returned, the man was gone, we donated the boots and socks.

My Best Moments are when I see my son, Noah(age 10) and my husband, Chris(an Iraq War Veteran) together. When I was pregnant with my son I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. As a result, he weighed 10lbs.12oz.(Diabetes causes babies to have high birth weight.) My pregnancy was extremely complicated medically. I was in and out of the hospital. My husband joined the Army not only to do what he thought was right for his country but also to make sure his family had proper health care benefits. This will melt your heart. They are the most important people in my life and I am TRUELY blessed to have these amazing people in my life. Our favorite things to do are go walking on the beach, fish in the Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Billfish Tournament, and cook together.

I have a set of twins age 18, boy/girl. My daughter is gifted, graduated high school and in college and my son is mentally challenged and was able to stay in high school one more year but will never get a diploma. My daughter is always making sure that she looks just right before she goes out the door just like any young girl does. The other day before my son left for school I heard my daughter call him to her room and overheard her critique his outfit before he left for school making sure he looked "good" before he left. When he comes home from school and she comes home from college for the day they both go to the kitchen table to do homework. I see her showing him her school books and explaining the things she is doing in school. When I asked her why she helps him with his work but then shows him her work and why she calls him up to her room every morning, she responded "Mom, he is my twin, he is my other half, I need to check is clothes and I have to teach him. He needs to look good and I want him to learn more so I will continue to show him what I do in school that way he feels like he goes to college." What a warm fuzzy feeling that gives me to think my children want to care for each other.

My children are 6 and 8 and just seeing how they play together and get along makes me very proud. My son, who is oldest, always helps his sister with homework during the ride home from school on the bus. Even though we have to correct most of them, I'm still very happy that he helped her.

My 12 year old (8th Grader) recently took the ACT for gifted kids. He was nervous sitting in a roomful of high school juniors and seniors who didn't talk to him at all. But he focused and did very well. I made sure he had clean clothes and looked nice so he would feel his best. "I like the smell of clean clothes," he tells me.

My most precious moment of my six children is when my first four, biological siblings, all adopted and in my care from under the age of one, now ages 22, 21, 20, and 17 thanked me for loving them so much and not allowing them to be separated. What was as memorable is the Ateam organization that they all attended in Savannah, which help children who are adopted to learn how to cope would come home and share with their little sister, now 12 which is my biological daughter, she asked me "Why she was not adopted". My last blessing is a step-son, 19. Thank God for all of them.

My son, age 8, signed up to give a presentation for the science fair at school. I ironed his white shirt and black pants and told him we need to look our best for the presentation. As nervous as he was, he did a great job. I was so proud of him!

My best moments are visiting my 6 and 8 year old at their school for lunch. They look well groomed and beautiful in their school unforms and I know when they are well groomed it gives their confidence a boost to do their best.

My daughter is 6 and loves to take ballet dance lessons. Everyweek she helps me wash, dry and hang her tights and leotard to prepare for next practice. Each week her clean, crisp outfit helps her to do her best.