My friend Karen

When I first moved out to California with Colin back in 2000, I was seven months pregnant with my first child, very lonely, and petrified of starting a new life so far away from friends and family. We got to our new church that first Sunday and a friendly lady about my age come up to me and greeted me with one of the warmest smiles I'd ever seen in my life. I immediately felt like we were good friends and like I was at home in this new church. In the five years that we lived there, those feelings were only confirmed and she has proven to be a lifelong friend who has never let me down once as a friend. Last Thursday, her six year old son found her unconscious and she was immediately rushed to a hospital. A tumor was discovered and after surgery on Saturday, it was found to be malignant. She will begin treatment soon as the surgeons were not able to remove the whole of the tumor. I ask for everyone's prayer for Karen, her husband, and their three young children who are the same ages as Grace, Noah, and Molly. They are headed for a struggle, so we ask God for much grace, mercy, healing, and strength to be added to them at this time. Karen is, by God's grace, one of the strongest women I know. God has taught me much about patience, graciousness, friendship, and being a good wife and mom through Karen and I pray that He will heal her so that many others can be blessed through her as I have been.

Visit www.welovekaren.blogspot.com to get more up to date and accurate information or go to www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolersandpeace where her friend Kendra has posted some great college pics of Karen.