My favorite "treat" from Halloween...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while, being a woman, it has always struck a chord with me (both of my grandmothers had breast cancer) it is also something that hasn't directly impacted my life.  So, truthfully, I donate money, I do a walk, I read stories and feel awful that this affects so many women and men, and so many families, and then I go on living my life.  But this year was different...

A couple weeks after having my third child, I got a call from a good friend of mine, Kristi.  She and her husband, Scott, had gotten married on New Years Eve of this year and were very excited about starting a family.  When she called, she told me to sit down (to which I started jumping around, expecting to hear that she was pregnant.)  Instead, she told me that she had a very aggressive (fast-growing) form of breast cancer.  Shocked, I tried to absorb the details she calmly gave me, we shared a couple tears, and I told her to keep me informed.

Kristi and Scott have gone through a lot, and made a lot of hard decisions.  I absolutely love that it has brought them closer together.  And the strength, faith, humility, and humor that Kristi demonstrates has deeply impacted me and the way I look at life.  With three young kids, I haven't been able to "be there" for Kristi as much as I would love to, but the times we've gotten to chat on the phone and the "playdate" we had with the kids hopefully lets her know how much I care.

So my favorite "treat" from Halloween?  Getting the (below) "Wear Pink For Kristi" bracelet that Scott surprised her with.  And getting a gentle hug from my friend Kristi...not "my friend with Breast Cancer, Kristi"...my friend Kristi.

Scott, Kristi's husband, surprised her by having some of these bracelets made up.  If that's not love and support (in addition to the daily doses he gives, I'm sure), I don't know what is.  Thanks, Kristi, for saving a couple for me!

Kristi and I on Halloween night (she's dressed in a banana costume for handing out candy (SO cute!) and I'm dressed as a mom taking her kids trick-or-treating.)