Mom & Dad

As Jim moved back to Seaford, DE with Kaitlin to begin her healing, I was living in a one-bedroom 2nd floor apartment in Wilmington, DE, with my cat Shadow. At 31 years old and single, I was finally at peace with myself but lonely from time to time. In late March of 1996, I bought my first computer. Soon I was chatting with a lot of people, but having meaningful conversations with very few. As I was leaving a Delaware chat room one day, I received an instant message that said "Was it something I said?" As I had not been talking to anyone in that room, I immediately wrote back that it was in no way personal that I had left. We started to talk. We talked more and more. We talked overtime we were on the computer for the next few days. Then we talked on the phone, too, for almost another week. Finally, on Saturday night, April 20th, about 8:00 PM, Jim called to say he was up in Wilmington and wanted to know if we could meet. So I invited him over. We talked and played on the computer for over 8 hours! We had such a great time! We were so much alike and had so much in common (except that he was only 24 years old)--we have talked to each other every day since then. We became best friends. As I had been hurt before, I was reluctant to become more than friends, but Jim was so thoughtful and patient with me that I never felt pressured. The week after our first meeting, I went down to Seaford for the first time. Before meeting Kaitlin, I was afraid of her condition, from all the things Jim had told me, and that I hadn't been around many children in my life. I took to her, and she to me, right away. Jim couldn't believe it - and neither could I! While down in Seaford I also met his mother and grandmother. Jim's mother, Becky, was very close to Kaitlin's mother, so our relationship took more time to develop, but it is now a very strong bond. The following week my parents came down to visit from Niagara Falls. We had planned to go to Washington, DC, so I invited Jim along. The next day, they met Kaitlin. We all had a wonderful time together. In May, Jim decided that moving up to Wilmington would be better for him and Kaitlin, so he found an apartment. However, it would not be ready until July. So, while still just friends, I asked them to move in with me. We then spent all of our time together. We finally started dating on May 21st. He had waited until that night to tell me he loved me, and I told him the same a few days later. Two weeks later, on June 3rd, I asked Jim if he wanted to go look at engagement rings. We went out, bought a ring, and he proposed to me the next morning! Our families were happy for us, but were a little wary that we had only known each other for a short time. But we knew it was right. As we both had always wanted to go to Greece, both being only children, and both being of a very independent nature, we decided to get married and honeymoon in Greece. After we worked out all the dates for work and care for Kaitlin, Jim planned and booked the whole trip, including the wedding. I knew we were going to Athens first for 3 days, then to Santorini for 4 days (and getting married there), and then to Crete for another 3 days, but he would not give me any details about either the hotel or the wedding on Santorini. We sent all the necessary documents to Greece to prepare for the wedding and got everything we needed here for the trip--passports, electrical adaptors and clothes. Jim bought a black tuxedo and I bought a short ivory-colored dress for the wedding. Or at least that's what he thought. Without him knowing, I went out and bought a beautiful full-length ivory wedding gown. Athens was a wonderful adventure - the acropolis, the temples to the gods, the food - it was all that we hoped it would be. Santorini was breathtaking. Two small semi-circular islands surrounding another volcanic island in the middle of the Aegean Sea (These islands are what the Greek people believe to be the lost city of Atlantis). Quaint white-washed houses, clear blue water, black sand beaches and very friendly people were only some of the things we enjoyed there. Our room was the "Eros"(Greek god of love) honeymoon suite in a hotel called Homeric Poems. It was high on a cliff overlooking the volcano and the sea. On Sunday, August 18th, at sunset, on the deck by the hotel pool, we were married. We were married by the mayor of the town of Thira (which we were in), my maid of honor was the manager of our hotel, and Jim's best man was a friend of the man who had helped him plan the wedding through our travel agency. Our wedding guests were the hotel guests and a few local people from the island who knew either the maid of honor or the best man. Jim's eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw my dress--I'll never forget that look! The ceremony was performed in Greek tradition (except they wear red dresses) and in the Greek language so my maid of honor translated for us. We had flowers, champagne, music (a local 4 piece ensemble) and dancing, a cake, a photographer and a videographer. It was one of the most wonderful days of my life. The next 2 days we just traveled around and did almost everything you can do on Santorini (it's very small). Next, we went to Crete. Crete has a little of everything--cities, vast fields of olive and fig crops, ancient ruins and beaches. We rented another Suzuki and drove around the island for 2 whole days, but only saw some of it. We returned home to our new apartment with over 40 rolls of film and many souvenirs and gifts for ourselves, Kaitlin, our families and our friends. The following weekend, my parents had a reception for us in Niagara Falls. Over the next two years we grew as a family and settled into our new lives. Jim started his own contracting business (for Physical Therapy) and I decided to go back to school (for Respiratory Therapy). On February 14, 1998, our bid was accepted on our first house. We closed on March 27th, and again began the task of settling in. We bought a nice house on a large lot in a cul-de-sac in Newark, DE. We have wonderful families, neighbors and friends, and for Kaitlin's 4th birthday in June, we bought her a very cute yellow lab puppy and named her Jasmine. We were happy. Then tragedy struck on August 15th, when Kaitlin suddenly passed away. Now we are trying to cope and go on with our lives without her. We miss her very much and in trying to help other children have the same opportunities as Kaitlin had, we have set up The Kaitlin Marie Bell Foundation, Inc. in her name.We have recently moved to Richmond,VA, (2001) to start over as best we can without Kaitlin, but will continue to be a large part of the foundation.