The Butterfly Is Back

I have a fun story to share with you all! Remember that sign from above? In June, a butterfly greeted me at my door and wouldn’t leave. I had heard that butterflies can be signs of loved ones in heaven. Well sure enough, I had the sweetest encounter with another butterfly! I was enjoying lunch outside at my TV station, when a butterfly appeared. It landed on my skirt and hung out while I relaxed. After several minutes, it moved, but not from me.
For nearly 20 minutes, the butterfly fluttered from my skirt, to hand, and back again. I finally started talking to it, asking, “Are you Parker or Abby?” Yes, I was the crazy lady talking to an insect! At one point, our sports guy (Noah Newsman) pulled up in his car. He asked what I was doing outside and I simply replied, “Oh, just talking to a butterfly.” After a confused look, I said, “It had to be one of my kids.” He understood…phew! I promise I will not become the crazy butterfly lady!

And by the way– our butterfly bush we planted in honor of Parker and Abby is doing great. Lots of butterflies are paying a visit. Thanks for the suggestion!
 
 
Miss P is amazing, but we all knew that! She recently started crawling (or at least army-crawling) and that means it’s time to start baby proofing the house. It’s such a wonderful time for us. She’s constantly playing and doesn’t want to sit still, which can be exhausting, but at the same time, it’s wonderful to see her experience new things.

Whether it’s a new toy or a new food, we love seeing her facial expressions. And boy, does she not hide anything! Check out her first experience in a shopping cart below. I’ve taken her to the store, but she normally sits in the infant carrier. This week, I thought we’d try out the shopping cart cover my mom made. She’s still a little tiny for the cart, so it was quite entertaining!

It’s a busy few weeks in the Skrysak household as I get ready for non-stop Illinois State Fair coverage on the news. This, as we prepare for Parker’s “Angelversary”. A week from Saturday will be one year from the day our son passed away. We’ve thought long and hard about how we want to honor him. And as I’ve mentioned before, we decided to separate our grief and celebrations. Instead of being sad on their birthday (which is also the day Abby died), we want that to be a celebration for Peyton…she deserves it! Ryan and I decided that August 16th will become a celebration for Parker and Abby. I can picture us having cake and doing a fun activity each year so that Peyton can celebrate her siblings. That’s a few years off, since Peyton is only interested in toys and our dog, Riley.
I’ll share how we plan on giving back and helping others in next week’s blog. But I can tell you that we are really excited about it and I think it’s something that will be continued for years to come. There is also something so simple that I’ll ask of all of you.  It doesn’t have to cost a penny, but it will do so much good around the world. Check back next week for the mission!
Finally, I want to thank you all for the kind and heartfelt comments and emails that you sent me about Parker’s story. It was extremely hard going public, but I wanted to do it. It’s an important part of our lives and I wanted to share the absolute heartache of letting your child go. As I read through the comments, I came across one that perfectly describes why I share so much of my life. My Aunt Mary wrote, “I do believe that it is not how many days you live, but how you love and impact others in those days that really makes a difference. Parker made a difference. Abby made a difference. You and Ryan are making a huge difference.” I’m an open book because I know our story is making a difference. And I thank you all for coming along for the ride. 
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