Jonathon and Carrie had suffered tragedies in their lives, each losing a parent while they were still very young.  Jonathon’s father had died of a sudden heart attack, and Carrie’s mother and little sister, Madeline, were killed in a plane crash while en-route to visit Carrie’s aunt who had just been diagnosed with leukemia.

Carrie’s father had been discharged from the Viet Nam war because of the emotional distress of front line combat. When he received word of the deaths of his wife and daughter, his grief overtook him, and he attempted suicide. Though he lived, his life as it was would never be the same.  He would spend the remainder of his years in an institution which provided him with constant care.

Carrie had to make the choice of selling the home she grew up in, or she and Jonathon could move from their tiny apartment and live in the house she had always called home.  Since the home was only a few miles from Jonathon’s mother, they realized they could help care for her, as well as having more room for a family of their own some day.

Spring was just around the corner, and Jonathon and Carrie were so excited to have a real home, particularly one that held so many childhood memories.  They planted flowers, pruned the trees, and did some painting on the porch railings that were peeling and chipping.  Jonathon sanded and painted the old porch swing that had been on the porch all through the years, which happens to be the very place where he stole the first kiss from his childhood sweetheart. 

Once the exterior of the home was just the way they wanted it, they decided to make some minor changes inside the home. For the time being, Carrie suggested that they leave much of the interior much like her mother had decorated it, except for the bedrooms.  They decided to paint the walls and the woodwork in their bedroom, and they painted little Madeline’s room pink, which was the color of Madeline’s favorite blanket. Jonathon made a shadow box to display Maddie’s christening gown and that special little blanket.  Carrie wanted to have a room in honor of little Maddie, whose life ended far too soon.

The home had a large basement, which was helpful in storing some of the items that Carrie wasn’t ready to part with.  Tears filled Carrie’s eyes as she stored Maddie’s toys and baby furniture downstairs.  She placed them just so, almost as if she expected Maddie to be pleased with the placement of her things.