Gigi & Grandaddy

If you've ever had the privilege of meeting Gigi and Granddaddy, you understand why everyone falls in love with them. They are magical.

As a child, you don't realize how lucky you are. You assume everyone's parents are like yours. As an adult, I've realized just how rare they are.

They have the kind of marriage that I hope my children will someday have. It's steady, selfless, full of respect, and unwavering love. They are true partners in every sense of the word.

Gigi is the brightest light in every room she enters. She radiates joy. She is endlessly kind, endlessly positive, and has this incredible gift of making every single person she meets feel seen and loved. I honestly don't think I've ever met someone who didn't immediately adore her. She's the kind of person who leaves people better than she found them.

Then there's Granddaddy. He has always been my rock. When life gets complicated, he's the person I call. He has the ability to untangle even the biggest problems, and somehow, after talking to him, everything feels a little more manageable. We think so much alike that sometimes it's almost funny. He understands how my mind works before I even finish explaining what I'm thinking. His guidance has gotten me through some of the biggest decisions of my life, and I honestly can't imagine navigating this world without him.

When I learned I would need a bone marrow transplant in Houston, there was never a family meeting. There was never a debate. There wasn't a moment of hesitation. They simply said, "We'll take care of the kids."

Just like that. With complete certainty. Without worrying about how much of their own lives they would have to rearrange. There wasn't even a question. That's who they are. They love without conditions. They serve without expecting recognition. And they have spent my entire life quietly teaching me what unconditional love looks like.

I don't know how I could possibly thank them for what they're doing for me and for my children. There aren't words.

What I do know is this:

If my children grow up remembering the months they spent with Gigi and Granddaddy, I don't think they'll remember it as the time Mom had leukemia. I think they'll remember it as the time they got to live with two of the greatest people they'll ever know. And for that, I will be forever grateful.