Our dear Carrie

I am digging way back to the beginning of August for this post.  Life seems to have sped by the last several weeks and I am way behind.  But, back at the beginning of August we enjoyed not one, but two special visits with Carrie and Kiersten.  It was just wonderful!

Our dear Carrie spent many, many hours with us all those years ago... back when she was a fixture in our household and our family.  You see, Carrie's Grandpa and my Daddy were the best of friends for years and years - and our families were just always connected.  When Marvin and I moved back here, Carrie became our first babysitter for Jackson.  She was an absolute marvel!  We ALL fell in complete love with her.  She even agreed to accompany our extended family on a trip to Virginia back in 1998 to help with ALL the kids across the family.  Did I mention this girl is family to us?

She attended Truman and graduated with her nursing degree, but not before she was able to arrange her schedule to be IN the surgical room when I had my C-section delivery of Jonathan!  She was even able to be my recovery nurse and I can tell you that was such an incredible blessing and gift to have her with me at that time.  She has gone on to be a magnificent nurse serving everywhere from Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, to Hospice, to traveling nurse programs like she is doing now.  I am confident that wherever she goes, she is leaving a trail of blessings a mile wide.  As Kiersten said, 'Carrie is called to be a nurse.'  So, so true.  Did I mention we love this girl?   :)

Carrie and Kiersten had a month between traveling nursing stints and so returned home to visit family and friends.  We were thrilled to be on their list.  Sadly, they were arriving about the time that we were leaving for the fair, but we managed to get together for dinner one evening and had such a marvelous time that we snuck in a second visit the following morning.  How good it was to be with them and enjoy lots of laughter and memories and smiles.  It had been far too long between visits and we hope that it won't be that long again.  Good, good times.

Daddy, Carrie, Mama, Kiersten

:)

Marvin, Laura, Kiersten, Carrie (hiding!!) Arayna, Anna, Jonathan, Julie

Marvin, Jackson, Kiersten, Carrie (there she is!), Arayna, Anna, Jonathan, Julie

you can tell things are gonna fall apart....

Yup!  I think picture taking time is over!  :)

I love Carrie's face in this one...

:)

Laura and Carrie at the pond

Jonathan, Marvin, Jackson, Carrie and Kiersten

Carrie knows just how to aggravate Jackson; like a true big sister....  :)

Jonathan, Marvin, Jackson, Carrie and Kiersten

:)

Did I mention how much we enjoyed spending time with those two?