The first Mini Mail box was a lovely porcelain limoge mailbox that my stepmother gave to my father. He put it on his night stand and over the years she made all sorts of amazing love notes and mini treasures for him. 

My stepmother is one of the most thoughtful gift givers I have ever met. She is the type of lady that makes sure the print on the wrapping paper of your gift matches along the seams and keeps the Christmas tree up for as long as possible. When I was about 10 she was the first person to give me "adult" art supplies. Up until that point, and for a very long time after, most adults would give me Crayola water colors or those kiddie art supply boxes with cheap markers and colored pencils. Not my step-mom! She got me a set of real oil paints and adult paint brushes. I felt so fancy.

With a simple gift I felt valued, and important and loved. 

Mini Mail as you see it today was inspired by my stepmother and her love of my father. They met on a Metro Bus on the way to work and the rest was history. Sadly, several years ago my father passed away, leaving a hole in too many people that will never be filled.

If my stepmother shows her love with amazing presents, my father showed his love with time. As legend has it, he was the first father to become a Girl Scout Troop leader in Texas so that he could spend more time with me, his tween daughter. 

If heaven is what we love most in life, then my father is sitting at a table filled with good food and friends, talking and laughing until we all can join him.