1st Birthday Balloon Release

I still cant believe its been a year since our boys got their angel wings.....sometimes the pain still feels like it happend yesterday.  We decided since we didnt get to plan a funeral or memorial in memory of our boys that for healing purposes we would have a balloon release on their first birthday.  Going to the party store to pick out which balloons we would be sending to heaven cut me like a knife.  It seems so unfair that we had to pick out balloons to send to Heaven instead of getting to plan a first birthday party. I knew I wanted something special for them not just something I walked in, grabbed and left. I must have spent a good hour in the party store looking at different colors, themes, styles.

 I finally decided on these

I knew as soon as I saw the number 1 sports themed balloon that I wanted it.  The boys nursery was suppose to be sports themed (their daddy loves sports).  I got 28 latex balloons in red, light blue, dark blue, and green for everyone else to release. 

The day of their 1st birthday was very emotional.....it was cold and rainy, seemed fitting for the day.  We had to go to the party store to pick up the balloons I had ordered, I just remember feeling so numb. We walked in the store and the minute I saw the balloons for our boys a lump formed in my throat and tears welled in my eyes. We drove to Lancaster Park for the release, Tom decided he wanted to do the release on the football field....it ended up being a muddy mess from the rain so we settled on the side of the field.  Our sweet friend Kathy came out to take pictures for us so we could document their first birthday, and all of our closest friends who have been so supportive of us this past year came out to remember our boys with us.  It was a day of saddness but it was also a day of healing. 

Family and friends in Michigan also had several mini balloon releases for our boys.  It meant so much to us to have people remembering and loving our boys just as much as we do.

Mom, Lindsay, and Stephanie's balloon release

My sweet friend Kelly released balloons in memory of our boys at her daughter's Birthday Party.

Another sweet friend of mine, Holly had a balloon release for our boys as well.

And my BFF Tiffany released two balloons for our boys as well.

It was a day that we will never forget.....we can not thank our family and friends enough for their support and love.  We will always love our boys, we will continue to remember their short lives and always try to honor them in some way!!  Happy 1st Birthday Eli and Hunter!!!!  Love, Mommy and Daddy