Marie and Landon are a unique story.  Before Deb and I started dating, Marie and Landon would visit each other in our apartments in Lexington Park, MD.  Marie would come up and visit Landon.  She would knock at the door, I would answer the door and ask, "Did you come up to hang out with Landon?"  She would simply nod her head but would never speak.  It was several months into meeting Deb and Marie that I discovered that she could actually talk.

There was a small playground area next to our apartment building that they would go play.  While Deb and I were in Lexington Park, we would take them to dinner.  One of Landon's favorites was Damon's, but they are no longer in business.  We took them trick-or-treating for Halloween in 2004.  But since Deb and I didn't start dating until 2006, we don't have pictures of them together except . . .  one time we went to Chucky Cheese.  Deb and I were at the table just talking.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, Marie and Landon went into the photo booth and took these pictures.  These are the earliest pictures we have of them.

I can't begin to tell you how incredibly close they are.  It is something that Deb and I still marvel over today.  They have always been brother and sister.  Period.  "Step-" was never something that they thought of or considered.  If you were to ask me, their story is far more powerful and moving that ours.  I sincerely thank God for this gift because long after we're gone, I know they will always be family.

Landon had been playing soccer since he was 4 or 5 years old.  He played football twice, but soccer was his sport.  When Deb and I decided to move in together, Marie expressed interest in playing soccer as well.  So, they both did.  Shortly after moving to Owings, MD in 2010 is when I started coaching our kids in soccer.  Marie had played on all-girl teams up to this point, but when I decided to coach her, she wanted to play on a coed team.  So, we signed her up.