And up in the air, they would write your name there...

Let me tell you about the most amazing family.  In life, every once in a while, you will meet people and just know that they will be life-long friends.  These are the people that are more like family to you than friends.  These are the people that inspire you everyday, give you a warm fuzzy feeling and make your world a better and brighter place.  I am lucky enough to know an entire family just like this.

How did my family become blessed with such amazing, generous and caring friends?  Just very lucky I guess!  We came to know the Parkers years and years ago when my sister, Ginger, met Robin in 4th Grade. Those two girls lit up any room they entered as they grew up together, more as sisters than best friends!  Their collaborative quirkiness through high school and college created priceless stories that still bring us serious chuckles, even to this day.  Robin has 2 adorable boys now, with another baby on the way.  Her sister, Rachel, has 3 beautiful girls and a precious little boy.  Through the years, we have spent countless birthdays, holidays and special occasions with the Parkers and my family and I all share the same soft spot for all those beautiful kids.

We've known them through years of happiness and of sorrow.  The peace and harmony their baby sister, Avinli, has brought to them is the single most amazing blessing I have ever witnessed.  They have all faced such sadness and loss and are still the strongest people I know.  The entire family remains graceful and loving, through even the hardest of times.

I'm so thankful they are in my life.  Not only are they so supportive and genuinely care about all of us....but it's so fun to have them as friends!  We spend Christmas Eve with them every year and have countless parties with them.  We chat about books, movies, shows, music, food, life...the list goes on and on!  They are our biggest supporters come craft season and they are definitely VIP customers of Tootsie Tillie Cupcakes!  All the kids have been like nieces and nephews to us...and we truly treasure them.  My mom, sisters and I absolutely LOVE to get the kiddos special treats on holidays.  We love our Halloween tradition, when they all come over to show us their costumes and we give them goody bags full of fun, silly prizes and candy.  I never think they can get any cuter and they prove me wrong every year!  For Christmas....I love it, because they all come over on Christmas Eve.  We sing carols, eat delicious food and the cutest part is when the kids all line up on the carpet, so well behaved, to open their gifts. It's precious, and the reaction on their faces when they tear into the presents, is a better gift to us than anything we could ever give them. 

Peggy, (mom/grandma), is such an extra-special lady.  The kindness that exudes from her is like nobody I have ever known.  I am blessed to know 2 of the world's greatest moms....my mom and Peggy Parker.  I absolutely adore the bond between Peggy and her children.  Especially her and little Avinli.  It reminds me of my mom and my youngest sister's bond when she was just a little girl.  Priceless.

The inspiration for this post comes from a picture that I saw on Instagram.  The picture showed Peggy and her kids and grand kids, in the park, launching letters of love to their daddy/grandpa by way of big, blue balloons.  Yes, the bright, beautiful balloons were floating to Heaven...with words from their hearts in tow.

The Parker Family