I am very honored to be working with Hallmark as a Life is a Special Occasion featured blogger and for their sponsoring this blog post, allowing me to share personal stories, insights and inspirations in enjoying simple, every day moments, with you (yes, YOU!)
My parents aren't in a very good place, at the moment. My mom got some unwanted news this week. Long story, short (you're welcome!) they are both striving to become The Bionic Grandparents.
"We're still sleeping over, right?"
We've colored Easter eggs together on Good Friday since, well, I'm not quite sure exactly when, considering my youngest is now in double-digits and referring to my pregnancies as a time-line is becoming more and more difficult.
I thought it would be a good idea to leave some of my kids behind (temporarily, of course!) to help distract their grandparents and put them in...you know...a happier place.
I hear grand kids are pretty good at that.
In fact, we invited both sets of grandparents back to our house for Easter Dinner and, well, then tried our best to keep this particular family gathering light and simple.
Aaaaand, it ALMOST worked.
Until the grandparents started talking to each other, comparing notes on their latest aches and pains, which inspired my parents to share a comprehensive chronological list of various replacement surgeries they've had during "their so-called golden years" and, well, one would have thought happy places as being highly overrated, as well.
"Daddy says I should give Papa his birthday cards now."
My father turned 75 last week, outliving his mother by 20 years and is now more than a year older than his own father was, at his passing, enough said.
I quickly grabbed the cards -- one from the grand kids and another from both my husband and me -- handed them to my youngest and poured myself another glass of wine, hoping that they would help cheer things up a bit.
"Who's the third card from?"
That, my friends, was a really special card I picked up for my Dad and it made me blow snot, right there, in the middle of the drug store: a simple reminder of how he is truly loved AND still very much needed by his daughter, providing yet another snot-worthy moment, indeed.
I hear Hallmark is pretty good at that, too.
Although, I also suspect that the cake my SIL brought for dessert may have helped to lighten the mood...just a little...too.
How about you? Do you have a friend or a family member who you think could use some cheering up or just a little reminder of how special he or she is? EXCELLENT!!!
Hallmark has launched Card Showers: a free online service that allows you to organize with your friends to shower a loved one with cards for any occasion. It's super easy:
- Go to hallmark.com/cardshowers and create a Card Shower event.
- Invite friends and family through email and Facebook.
- Participants respond to the invitation, buy a card on Hallmark.com or in the store and send their cards. They also can invite additional contacts, increasing the size of the card shower.
- The honoree then receives a shower of cards!
I'm planning a card shower for my mom....while she's recovering from her surgery, next month....but, shhhhh....don't tell her...really good snot-worthy moments are so far and few in between, you know?!?
Oh, and in case you missed it: more of our LIASO moments.
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Disclosure: I am being compensated for my services for the length of the program. To receive notices on Hallmark products and special offers, feel free to sign up for the newsletter (when you have time, of course!)
