Four Years Since

We got engaged four years ago today. 

Last week, I had Jillian take our pictures at Old Sheldon Church, where we got engaged. It's funny comparing the four-years-ago us to the four-years-later us. 

I'm not as tan (I lived in South Carolina that summer and went to the beach all the time.), we're not really in the same shape anymore (I was running every day and Carson was a ranger in the Washington wilderness), our hair is longer, we don't look like little kids (or we look like older little kids), and most importantly,

now we're married. 

Can't believe it's been four WHOLE years since this day...

and can't believe it's only been four years.

What an adventure life has taken since then!

Maybe we'll take this picture in four more years and compare the difference :)

 

22

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22...

Well, I'm not, but Taylor Swift was when she wrote that song, and that's the age that my sister is today!

Happy Birthday, Becca! I'm happy that I got to see you two times while you were 21... hoping to only increase that number this year (come to Cleveland!). I love you so much and hope that your birthday is special and fun and that your 22nd year of life is one for the books. 

Love you so much,

Your sister

South Carolina Trip, Part One

On the first of August, we woke up 15 minutes before my alarm... that's right, we were up at 3:15 in the morning. We'd planned to leave at 4:30 to visit my family in South Carolina but since we were up, we gathered things quickly and hit the road at about 3:45am.

Our trip to South Carolina wasn't mentioned here before because it was a surprise! We arrived at my parents' at around 3:30pm and quickly greeted the little ones (the dogs) before changing to go surprise Dad at his work. 

I'd planned to take pictures of the surprise, but didn't get a chance. Mom called and got someone to take Dad to the back of the dealership because she had a surprise for him. When we walked in, there were a bunch of people gathered around. "Are you the surprise?" they asked. I smiled, and quickly noticed Dad standing there talking to the person who'd had him go to the back. He looked over at the commotion in the entryway and did a double-take. I saw his jaw go slack as he gave me a confused look. I waved and then he shook his head and walked over. I've never seen him that surprised! 

We stood around and talked before he had to get back to work, and Mom assured him that there were no more surprises in the works. Mom lied. Sunday was the big surprise.

We went back home, ate dinner and played with the dogs. Mini bit me. 

We were there to observe the nightly "Daddy's home" ritual that the dogs excitedly enjoyed.

And then I snapped this freaky picture. Alien dog.

Once the excitement was over, the dogs had a little nap.

The next day, my sister came over and we headed out. We had lunch at Moe's... Carson's first time there and he liked it a lot. He and Scott went off to purchase some last-minute birthday gifts for Dad and Mom, Becca and I went to downtown Beaufort and walked around.

We too had some last-minute birthday preparations to shop for, and headed to the dollar store. We found things for Dad's party and also these hats.

The next morning, these losers woke Dad up to wish him a happy birthday.

And he went out to mow the grass.

We gave Dad his gifts, which included an ice cream maker that we put in the freezer immediately.

Then we got cleaned up for a trip to Charleston.
We had lunch at the Mellow Mushroom and just walked around downtown, showing Carson King Street, the Battery and the Market. We drove around past the Citadel and Rainbow Row on our way back home.

Everyone else made an ice cream run at Chic-fil-A and Dad FaceTimed with his sister.

Back at the house, Carson and I formally met Scott's six goats. They are the funniest looking animals.

 
And after the goats were safely in the pen and dinner was finished, we had cake and our homemade ice cream.

While we ate we watched an episode of Aerial America, a really neat show on the Smithsonian channel.

The REAL surprise was to come the next day...