On January 8th, 2012, Kristen and I stood side by side, unsure where life would take us, but knowing—without a doubt—that whatever came at us, we would find a way through it together. "Till death do us part." Those words, so full of promise and devotion, would come to mean more than I ever could have imagined.
We began our journey with a slightly used Durango, a 5x8 U-Haul trailer, and dreams of an almost endless future. Texas was our first stop, but only for a short time, and soon we were off to JBLM in Washington. A detour through Memphis led to a necessary upgrade—a 6x12 trailer—because, even then, we were already growing, already building our future with trinkets, love, adventure, and the kind of memories that would define us.
Washington was where our love truly started to flourish. Almost as soon as we arrived, we got Bandit, our first family dog, and we started exploring the breathtaking scenery around us. Kristen found a job she loved, and our life was full of endless possibilities. And then, our greatest adventure began—she was pregnant with our first child together, Kaydence.
But even before that moment, Kristen had already embraced motherhood with an open heart. She loved my two children with a fierceness…A passion and depth that was simply remarkable. She vowed to love them as her own, and she never, not for a single moment, broke that vow. Before we married, I had asked my children, Mikayla and Brayden if they would accept Kristen—not just as my wife, but as their stepmother, as someone who would bring love and happiness into our family. Their answer was an easy yes, and Kristen proved them right every day to come.
Then…. Kaydence was born, and our family grew, our love deepened, and the life we envisioned felt beautifully within reach. We celebrated, we dreamed, and we held onto the promise of forever.
The years brought deployments, distance, and challenges, but we never let them define us. I threw myself into photography, capturing every possible moment because I wanted to hold on to every memory we made. (Hence the 30k+ pictures I have) Some days were hard, some were easy, but we always accepted each other exactly as we were. Even in our quirks, in our mutual weirdness, we found home in each other.
We built traditions in the simplest ways—watching Army Wives and Spartacus in the early years, moving on to This Is Us, Virgin River, Game of Thrones, and most recently, binge-watching Yellowstone together. We’d time the shows on facetime from different sides of the world so we didn’t miss a thing. We cried, we laughed, and we made time stand still in those moments, just the two of us, lost in a world of stories, lost in our love.
Kristen was my Atlas—my strength, my foundation, the one who carried so much on her shoulders yet continued on despite the burdens. She held me up when I felt weak, stood beside me when I felt strong, and never let me face life’s weight alone. Together, we could walk through fire, embrace challenges, and see the beauty in even the hardest moments. No matter where I was in the world, our love was constant. Each night, our messages ended the same way—"Goodnight, my Queen," "Goodnight, my King." And always, "I love you and miss you!!."
Leaving the Army led us back to Memphis, where we began again. I pursued photography, and Kristen was ready to help build our dream. But things got difficult, and money was tight. So, I was back overseas—working, providing, sacrificing—so we could build a life that some people only dream of. We understood the complexity of it, the distance, the challenges, but we never let it break us. We thrived despite all the adversities!
Most recently, Kristen and Kaydence visited me in Saudi Arabia. It was a trip that changed everything. We shopped, explored, laughed, and we embraced a new culture. Most importantly, we felt safe—safe in the love we had built, secure in the life we were creating. It didn’t matter where we were, as long as it was together. It was there that they decided—they wanted to be with me, not just for visits, but for good. We started planning our next chapter, our next adventure.
Life for us changed that Friday night, February 28th, and none of us were remotely prepared for it. None of us could even imagine a world without her in it.
Kristen should be here today. She should be watching Kaydence graduate, go to college, or become an adult. Standing beside her on her wedding day and helping her with makeup, holding her hand through life’s joys and hardships. She should still be the voice that calms my storms, the soft touch at the end of a long day, the person I laugh and cry with during our favorite shows……All I have are the memories—the beautiful, irreplaceable memories of the last thirteen years.
A man deserves a partner to share life’s moments with. A daughter should never have to grow up without a mother. No matter how strong or experienced, nobody can replace a mothers touch.
Kristen wasn’t just a light—she was a star, a beacon of kindness, of generosity, of love that knew no limits. No one has ever loved me with more passion, more devotion, or more certainty than Kristen. She didn’t just love me—she saw me, in all my strengths and flaws, and embraced every part of who I was without hesitation. Her love was fierce and unshakable, a love that didn’t waver in the face of distance, struggle, or time. She made me feel like the most important person in the world, not just with words, but with every small act of kindness, every glance, every moment she stood beside me. She didn’t just love me—she chose me, every day, with every breath, in a way that I will spend the rest of my life cherishing.
Kristen…. my Queen, your love and presence changed my life. Your love will remain in every heartbeat, in every breath, in every moment I have left for the rest of time. And for as long as I am here on this earth, I will carry you with me.
Forever and always.
