Sixty Five Roses

I was checking my blogs today and found one that a friend of mine, Trina, had written about someone we both know and I took some poetic license and borrowed most of this post from her.  It is something I feel very strongly about and I wanted my readers to know too.  A couple of  weeks ago a friend of mine  lost her daughter, Kara.  The mother,  Karen and I were colleagues several years ago when Kara was just a tiny thing. Once Karen remarried, they moved to Clay Co., and she got a job teaching there. (It was a definite loss for our school, and a definite gain for theirs because she is an AWESOME teacher!) She and I were close friends and we have stayed in close contact, Kara's dad lived below me when I lived in an apartment before Frank and I got married so I would see her there every other weekend.  Anyways, Kara lost her battle with CF(Sixty-five roses) while awaiting a double-lung transplant. (I think that is correct. I've heard a couple of different things, but someone who is very reliable told me that.) I was so busy getting ready for my trip that I missed the funeral and felt really bad about that.  Today reading Trina's blog made me stop and think about how very fortunate/lucky/blessed I am because there are so many things that Karen will never get to do.

  For example, she will never:

• hear Kara say, "Mom, he is THE one."
• be able to ooh and ahh and gush over Kara's engagement ring.
• help her choose her wedding dress and make wedding plans.
• see Kara walk down the aisle as her baby girl.
• see Kara walk back down the aisle as a beautiful new wife.
• hear Kara say the words "You're going to be a grandmother!"
• hold her baby girl's baby.
• cry with her when that baby begins school.

These are things that we so often take for granted.  My heart grieves for my friend right now.  I have a daughter and she is very special to me.  I can only imagine what Karen is feeling right now. Yes, Karen has other children. She has two boys, but there is just something special about a daughter.  After reading Karen's facebook post this morning I know thaton the other hand, Karen is able to sleep at night because she knows

• Kara is praising her GOD each and every second!
• Kara is rejoicing with her loved ones who have gone before.
• Kara no longer struggles with a body that isn't perfect.
• she will see Kara again someday and that reunion will be so very precious.

A scholarship fund has been set up for nursing students at Central Alabama Community College in Kara's memory. Karen is working to get T-shirts made up with "In It to Win It"---Kara's motto---on them. She was in it to win it, and while she may have lost her earthly life, she has won so much more! I think I'm going to follow Trina's lead and order a shirt!  Done!  I just facebooked Karen and left a post telling her I wanted one!  The sad thing about this is that....as wonderful and sweet as Kara was...her story will never make front page headlines like Lindsey Lohan has.  Our world is so caught up with idols....that sometimes we miss the silent heroes. Watch over us all tonight Kara!  We need it!