Always With Me

Part 21- Annie Carson

*****(I know that there are a lot of point of views right now.  Just hang in there--it will all make sense soon.  Thanks for reading! I love y'all!)*****

 I was making dips in my kitchen when I felt a slight tug on my pant leg. I looked down to see my daughter, Natalie, standing beneath me. She was three years old, and she had long brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was a spitting image of her dad, but she had my tiny smile. I scooped her up into my arms and let her help me stir the dip before I put top onto the crockpot. I carried my daughter from the small kitchen into my attached bedroom and sat her down on the bed and headed into my closet to grab a comfortable shirt and some jeans. It was Friday, which meant that the Sunday School girls would be coming over soon. The house was clean and the appetizers were being cooked in my kitchen. I changed from my clothes that I wore today at work. I was a teacher at an elementary school in Amory, and I thoroughly enjoyed my job because it meant that once I was home, I was able to spend time with my daughter.

I changed clothes and walked back into my bedroom. Natalie was sitting on the end of the bed, watching the TV that I had put on for her to watch earlier. She was engaged fully into the screen in front of her, mesmerized by the dancing cartoon characters. I smiled, allowing myself to spend a few minutes with my daughter before I had to hustle around and get my house finished. I sat down beside her and pulled her up into my arms. She giggled, and I tickled her tiny stomach. Her shoulder length brown hair was pulled into a tiny pony tale and she had on a small smock outfit. Her giggle sent chills down my veins as I listened, smiling to myself.

Thank you, God.

I grabbed her from the bed and carried her to the kitchen to finish the dips. She was excited to help me, putting in the ingredients that I needed.

"Mommy, give me that," she said as she pointed to the stirring spoon. I handed it to her, and she used it to stir the dip again.

"Thank you for stirring for me, Natalie," I said to her as I kissed her on the forehead.

"You welcome, Mommy."

We finished the appetizers and went back to my room to watch cartoons for a few more minutes until David walked into the room. He had on his scrubs from working in his office, and he also looked absolutely exhausted.

"Hey, Daddy!" Natalie yelled as he walked into the room. His face lit up as he walked in, and he put his keys onto the dresser and plopped down beside Natalie and I on the bed. He laid back and we both joined him. He gave Natalie a huge kiss on the forehead and then kissed me.

"Hey girls. I saw your food that you made it the kitchen. It looked amazing! Did you help with that, Natalie?" He asked, turning from me to Natalie to pull her into a hug. She didn't feel like laying down anymore, though, and she began wiggling all over the bed.

"I helped Mommy make food for the girls tonight," she answered, patting him on the face. He smiled at me, and I felt my blood begin to churn. David Carson was absolutely the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I was so thankful to him. I was a senior in high school when I met him, although it was under unspeakable circumstances. Now I was twenty-five and he was twenty-eight, just out of med-school. Somehow, he loved me immeasurably more than I could have ever asked for. God blessed me tremendously with his man by my side.

"Well, good! I am glad!" He grabbed Natalie and carried her into the play room to help her pick up some toys while I put some extra blankets in the living room where we would be staying.

"Hey, Annie," He said, coming into the living room to kiss me tenderly. Our time with Natalie was great, but it was also amazing to have alone time with my husband.