On this Mother’s Day, I’d like to do something a little different… Remember Julie.

Julie was the ultimate mother! She loved kids, especially her three beautiful ones. It’s hard to encapsulate in mere words just how good of a mother she was. It just came so naturally to her! Her infectious joy translated beautifully into her role as a mother.

Besides remembering Jules, I’d like to do a something that might help in some small way… Something to help ensure that other families don’t have to experience what my friend and his three kids are experiencing this Mother’s Day.

Next weekend, there is a Relay for Life event here in Houston. Last year, Julie participated, and it was a very special experience for her. So, this year we continue on in her memory…

If you feel compelled, you can donate here. I am not one who likes to fundraise and ask for money, so thanks for allowing me to do so this time. This is a very important cause — one that has really hit home for us. To those of you who are able to donate anything, thank you in advance from my heart for helping us to carry forward Julie’s memory and raise funds to fight this awful disease.

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And this Mother’s Day post wouldn’t be complete without a thank you to “Mama Mindy”, as we affectionately call her. “Mama Min” and “Daddy Dan” have been married for almost sixteen years. I think that means that Min has been in our lives for almost twenty years now!

Min - You have no idea how grateful I am for you and your involvement in my life and my sisters’ lives. I am especially grateful for how much closer we’ve become in the last few years. I appreciate your motherly concern and your friendship. Love you!

Back from my girls trip to San Diego… Laura and I had a great time!! We even met up with Ann, a former college roommate of ours we hadn’t seen in nine years! Photos and more on that soon, but for now, a simple question…

How are YOU today?



Jackson showed me this diagram in a little book of his last week and said, “Aunt Carrie, which face is how you feel right now?”

How cute is that?! You gotta admit… it is sometimes hard to put feelings into words. But what could be simpler than pointing to the appropriate face?!?

My answer? I definitely feel like the overwhelmed face this week… back to work + a final exam due + a final paper due + homework to do for the new summer semester which starts this weekend + still kind of sick with this throat crud + lots on my mind.

How are YOU today?

No, really… I want to hear! Don’t worry — no long emotional diatribes required. Just point to the face.

I’ll try to post San Diego getaway pictures this weekend. (Ann - email me any good ones you got!) Until then, have a great week!!

Today, I am flying to San Diego to see this girl.

So, yesterday, I had to go spend some time with these kiddos before I left town.

I love them so much. And I think they kind of like their Aunt Carrie too.

Hey there! As much as we all bemoan Mondays, there is something positive about starting a new week afresh, isn’t there?

Last week found me out of commission for most of the time with a bad case of strep throat. Ugh! While the pain and “ickiness” of being sick wasn’t fun, I have to say I quite enjoyed the chance to do some simplifying and organizing around the house! I think I probably hauled out seven or eight bags of trash! I just get sick of clutter and unorganized areas. While things are not perfect, it’s better! And progress is good.

One of my organizational accomplishments involved getting my digital photos organized. I realized quite a few photos on DVD hadn’t ever been uploaded to my computer! Including my bridal portraits!! Because at the time, I was of course trying to keep them “under wraps” and a secret from Brad.

It was fun to find that DVD and look through them all again, two years later. So, in honor of getting organized AND in honor of our two year anniversary this week, here are a few of my favorite bridal portraits…

Looking back, these first two are probably my favorites…

Thought this was an interesting and striking composition…

This is the one I had blown up and framed for the reception…

(Photo credit goes to K&C Photography.)

Happy anniversary, B.

It’s 9:45 pm, and I am still here at the office… Not so much working, but moreso studying for my finals — which are this weekend!! How crazy is that?!

So, here are some late night random thoughts:

1. Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Truly, that’s what makes the day special — hearing from those whom I care about and those who care about me.

2. I got so many cool birthday voicemails. It’s tough to choose the best, but I think the award has to go to Richele, Alyssa, and Samantha. It was a group rendition of “Happy Birthday” followed by the girls fighting over who loves me more. Awesome.

3. My BFF Laura and I have carved out a weekend for a girls trip in May. Problem is we’ve waited until the very last minute to plan things. We’re thinking San Diego (cool, Laura? ). Does anybody have any great hotels to recommend??

4. Should I be embarrassed to admit that I purchased from iTunes and have been listening to Miley Cyrus’ “See You Again”?! Maybe that concert wore off on me afterall…

5. Besides Miley, my playlist tonight was loaded up with a tons of old school Christian music — mainly Jars of Clay and Caedmon’s Call.

6. … which has made me think back to the summer of 1996, when aforementioned BFF Dr. Laura made recorded me a tape (yes, old school cassette tape) of Jars of Clay and Michael W. Smith music to listen to while I lived alone for the summer as I interned the middle of nowhere — Midland / Odessa, Texas. 12 years ago. How crazy is that?! I literally wore that tape out until it would no longer play. Good times…

7. All this talk of the past makes me want to dig up some old pictures and scan them in… some college pics, some high school prom pics — like my buddy Laura so bravely shared (no not BFF Dr. Laura, but another fabulous Laura). I kid you not — my junior prom dress was almost identical to Laura’s hot pink sequined beauty!

8. And since this whole post is somewhat goofy, it seems only appropriate to end with a goofy jumping picture that Brad took of his sisters and me in the bluebonnets this past weekend…

Feel free to share your own random thoughts, whether they are related to this post or not.