It’s another hot summer day in South Carolina, and on a sweltering day just like this one, a baby girl made her debut. Janna Caroline arrived at 6:50 on August 2, 1975 and changed my life forever. I’d like to dedicate this day to Carrie and share some special things about her that made her so endearing.
1) She’s a loving wife, one who supports her husband in every aspect of their partnership.
2) She’s a terrific mother, one who has “her finger on the pulse” of what’s going on in her children’s development, behavior, and inclinations. Braden, Brooke, and Emma are blessed to have her for their mother.
3) She’s multi-talented in areas that I can’t even really understand…scrapbooking, for instance. I LOVE seeing the finished product of her efforts but don’t have the patience or creativity to do it myself.
4) She’s quite the little gourmet cook. This week she bought the ingredients for homemade lasagna, and she and her sister Elizabeth prepared the most mouth-watering, delectable dish I’ve ever tasted. I would have opted for the Stouffers brand, but then I’m always looking for shortcuts.
5) She’s perky, outgoing, and friendly.
6) About the friendly aspect, she’s a loyal, steadfast, giving friend. This week she’s reconnected with some friends from her teen years, and when she goes back to GA tomorrow, she’ll get together with her friends there. She and Rich have lived several places in their 7 and ½ year marriage, and she’s quickly made new friends in each location.
7) She’s spiritual and earnestly seeks her Creator’s guidance in her life…right after she’s given thanks for his beneficence.
8) She’s tough and resilient. Trust me when I say that she and Rich have been through some heartbreaking situations in their life together, and Carrie’s indomitable spirit and strong faith have surfaced every time.
9) Did I mention that she’s beautiful too? Petite in stature, her blue-eyes and dark hair are but two of her features that combine to make her lovely. Just this week, Brooke stared at her and said, “Mommy, you’re cute.”
10) She’s a great daughter and has greatly enriched the last 32 years of my life!
mom's musings 
“Ditto” on some of those thoughts. You seriously have to quit making me cry!!!
She’s a great gal! I try to tell her these things on a somewhat regular basis, so I think she might read this and think, “Ho Hum.”
Happy Birthday to you too…afterall, you did all the work on this day 32 years ago!
Your daughter is very fortunate to have a mom like you. I pray that I can be such an encouragement to my girls as they become young women, mothers, wives, and friends. My mama passed away when I was a little girl, so reading about, listening to and watching other moms is how I try to learn how its done.
PS-Thanks for responding to my blog earlier…you were my very first comment, ever! , so I just had to read about you! Blessings!
I’m still a little “green” at this blogging thing myself, so I hope my comments link back to you. If not, then I’ll figure something out.
Anyway, yes, you’re absolutely right! I did work hard to bring that sweet, chubby baby into the world, and I can remember the event like it was yesterday. I think it’s giving birth is something so phenomenal that mothers cannot forget it.
The fact that you’re praying to be an encouragement to your girls as they mature through life indicates that you’ll be just that: a source of encouragement, strength, support, solace, and light. Yes, light. That’s something I’m working on…but that’s another story.
By the way, I LOVE the name of your blog.
Your daughter is gorgeous and I will add to what others have said, “She’s a lucky lady!” to have you for a Mom and to give such loving guidance. God Bless You and Yours, Marla Jayne.
Odale, you’re a great cyberspace friend and serious source of encouragement to me. My daughter has a blog at blogspot called masedamayhem. I don’t give very many people that information, but I know that she wouldn’t mind if you visited it. You have such a warm spirit, and she’ll be able to feel it too.
You are so good to me, Marla Jayne!! You are the first person I “took up with” online and I am so very thankful b/c you are a wonderful person. And so smart, too! I read one of your posts about how people want to be “ugly”about religion on their blogs and saw that we agreed right away on how unnecessary that is, not to mention unproductive.I wish I could be as conversational in my posts as you are, but I’m watching and learning! 😉
I am excited to see Carrie’s blog and am looking forward to when we can all have lunch together!!
Mar–la–Jayne—those—grand—ba—bies are P-r-e-c-i-o-u-s—!!! I wish I could control the font so I could express the warmness I felt in Carrie’s blog!! I love the stories she tells…I gues she named her blog exactly right! ;-)) Thank you for sharing the BLESSING with me!! Oh, what a joy they must give you! I was almost mesmerized by the pictures…they are so sweet and precious!! God Bless You All!! xox
THANK YOU in all caps. I’m learning from you too. You’re the grant writer. Wow, that’d be a great job…at least I think it would. I used to think being an editor would be a phenomenal job, but I’ve talked to a few of them who work for textbook publishers, and they’re all so stressed out that it’s crazy.
We should shoot for lunch during my Christmas break in December.
Carrie and her babies are wonderful…no doubt about it. The only thing I disapprove of on her blog is the “poop party,” but she is a very strong minded young woman and was determined to do what she wanted to do.
One of the ones I’d love for you to look at was one in which Carrie and her children were dancing with Carrie’s grandmother, my former mother-in-law. I’m holding the baby and filming the scene, and it was the culmination of a fun, FUN day.
Peace and love…