Mary Ann said she hopes Macy values family as much as all the generations to come before her have. Macy will grow up in the house where her great-grandfather was born, and Mary Ann said she hopes Macy always feels connected to and surrounded by her family.

“I hope she always looks to us for support and knows that she will always be supported by us,” she said.

The Carters plan to continue some of their family traditions with Macy as well. Mark said one tradition he remembers from his childhood is Friday night dinners at his grandparents’ house. Jessica said she thinks it is important to continue that family tradition with future generations, starting with Macy.

The Carters also hope to start a few new family traditions with Macy. Jessica said she and Mark have decided their Thanksgiving tradition will be with her parents, who live in Muscle Shoals, Ala. The Carters’ Christmases will be spent at home in Vidalia.

“I think it is important to be home for Christmas,” Jessica said.

An annual vacation with Mark and Jessica’s friends and their children is a tradition that is currently in the works.

“We’re the last in our close group of friends to have a child, and since we all have children now, we’ve been talking about taking a trip together,” Jessica said. “I think it will be something fun we can do every year since our kids are all going to grow up together.”

In addition to valuing family, the Carters say they hope Macy is strong in her faith in God like her family.

“We are very strong in our faith and our church,” Jessica said. “I hope she will be very strong in her faith and very involved and active in her church.”

Jessica said she hopes Macy will also be very active in the growing community of the Miss-Lou. Jessica and Mark are members of several community clubs and organizations.

“I hope she is as active in the community as we are and is always helping make the community a better place,” Jessica said.

Mary Ann said she hopes the Miss-Lou will continue to grow so Macy can have a good opportunity to come back home and take over the family business, Wilmar Construction Company, if she decides she wants to. Jessica agreed and said she hopes more young people continue to move to the area and opportunities for young professionals continue to grow, so Macy can return to home after school to settle down.

“It’s such a wonderful place to live,” Jessica said. “There is such a sense of community and family that Natchez and Vidalia have to offer. I hope it is still like that when Macy is our age.”

No matter what Macy does or where she ends up, Mark said he hopes faith and unconditional family love is what Macy always knows she can count on from her family.

“I hope she can always look back and say, ‘I had a family that always loved me very much, instilled values in me and would do anything for me,” he said.

To read more about the generations who have paved the way for Macy — and other children — see Profile 2012 in today’s edition.