On the day of Jessie’s birthday party, we went together to purchase a fancy mylar Strawberry Shortcake balloon.  As we were driving home in the car from Party City, Jessie, holding tightly to the pink string attached to her balloon, pondered, “Juddy must have lots of balloons around him in heaven.”

“I think you’re right, Jess.  He sure knows how much you love him!”

“Well, when we’re done with this balloon, I think I’d like to send it up to Isabella’s sister (Isabella is another young girl who lost her sister, Jacque, to Krabbe disease).  She’s a girl.  I think she’d like it.”

“That’s a great idea,” I responded, melting at her thoughtfulness.

The next day Jessie reminded me of her intentions with the Strawberry Shortcake balloon.  So we took a moment to remember Jacque and then our ladybug released the balloon to her with a huge grin on her face.  “Jacque, please give Judson our love,” we said aloud.

Jessie seems to beatuifully equate sending balloons as a means of communicating with those in heaven.  This was confirmed on the morning of her birthday when she asked, “I wonder if Judson will send a balloon down to me today?”