Stow, Ohio | Family & Friends | Strong.

I have a lot of friends. I love meeting new people and making new friends. Connecting with them, learning what they like, what they do, who they are. My friends are varied. Some live in the computer. Some live in PA. Some I have known since birth, some I just saw yesterday or last week. I know how lucky I am to have my friends.

This is a girl who is lucky too.

I know it may not feel like it at the moment, cause this girl, mama, daughter, wife, friend is starting a battle tomorrow. She is fighting cancer, and she begins chemo tomorrow.

This is her beautiful family. Her daughter so sweet and helpful with her son, who is equally sweet. And, as I found out, her husband is the cook in the family. What a wonderful gift that is.

And these lovely ladies are her friends. They have been friends since, well as long as I have known them-going on twenty years, but I'm sure they were friends long before that. We were all in band together (but they were a year younger and way back in that woodwind section...ha.)

They love her. They all love each other. They laugh together. They have countless stories, private jokes, concerns, joys, moments they have shared. I laughed with them-just watching with a kind awe and peace that they will always be there for one another.

This fight won't be alone. She will have support with "Cancer Sucks" cookies. Emails. Visits despite long drives from other states. They will know what she needs because they love her. And really, I'm sure there are countless others who are right there, every day, doing whatever needs to be done, whether asked or not, because this is a girl who is a light.

And she is damn strong too. I really can't say it better than this-a quote from her own blog...

"I want to be an example of strength and positivity for my kids, my nephews, my family and friends and anyone that may hear about my story. I want to show people that even when you are thrown a curve ball, there are too many good things in life to allow yourself to forget that gratefulness is always better than bitterness. That life may change and it may not always be fun or easy, but it’s always worth living. There is always something for which to be thankful, especially if you surround yourself with loving people. I want to be the warrior that faced cancer and came out a stronger, wiser, happier, better person."

Julie, I am behind you. You are strong!