My Amazing Friend, Karen

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought I would share about someone who is very special to me and is a breast cancer SURVIVOR!!! Karen and I met in Hutchinson, Kansas in November 2006. We had no idea when we met that we would become such great friends! We spent almost every day together while our kiddos were at school. (Along with her little girl, Erika, who was only three at the time.) We would go out to lunch, shopping...anything to just hang out with a friend! I always knew that her time in Hutch was limited due to her husband's job, but I wasn't prepared when she moved clear across the country to Oregon very shortly after Luke was born. Right before she moved, I found out that we were moving too, so I knew that even if she could stay in Hutch, I wouldn't be there. I think that helped, but it was still terribly sad to see her go!! I am proud to say that in the year and a half that we have been apart, we have remained friends! I still miss her terribly and would do anything to go out there and spend some time with her.

Last September Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer. I felt so helpless being so far away! Thank goodness for phones, e-mail, blogs and most of all prayer! I am so proud of her for her positive attitude through all that she has been through! I don't think I would have handled it nearly as well as she has! I am so blessed to still have her around, even if she is far away! Karen had a mammogram last week and found out this week that everything looks great!! Thank you, God!!

For the month of October I will be displaying the Breast Cancer Awareness background in honor of Karen and all of the other women that are fighting this horrible disease!

Thank you, Karen, for being the best friend anyone could ask for! I am SO thankful for you! I love you and miss you so much! You are an amazing woman!!