One Last Push

Finally, after months of planning, I leave for Boston for the Paws 4 A Cure walk tomorrow.  I'm really excited, because I get to meet three of my very good online friends in person for the first time.  As is always the case when I get the opportunity to meet my fellow cancer parents, it will seem so natural, with no awkwardness between us.  When you get to know someone on a very basic level--how a person thinks and feels about their family, sharing all of your fears and celebrations--then meeting in person isn't essential to "getting to know" each other.  But it certainly is icing on the cake.  And to get to spend a whole weekend with these phenomenal women...well, there are just no words for what that means to me. 

One of my closest friends, Amy, is going to be walking with me, and it warms my heart to know that she loves me and Indy enough to do that for us.  We'll both be walking in honor of Indiana, in honor of one of the bravest, most inspiring dogs I have ever known.  And I'll be walking with so many other dogs in my heart too, dogs who have passed on, dogs I never had the honor of meeting (and some that I did), but who I feel like I do know, because of the stories of love, triumph, and, ultimately, of loss, I experienced with their parents.  To those parents, please know that I too love your pets, and they will be so close to me on Sunday. 

It would mean the world to me if you would make a donation to Paws 4 A Cure, either in honor of my brave girl or in honor or memory of your own beloved pet.  So many families face difficult decisions.  Please help make them a little easier.