Fundraising and training in memory of our friend

I met Amber Sabala last year through our best friends Ford and Susie Stinson. Amber's husband Eric transferred to Shreveport from Corpus Christi, Texas. He was working for Advanced Applicators there, but the company wanted him here in Louisiana. They weren't too happy about moving at first, but I think it only took a few weeks for them to start to like the lifestyle of Bossier City.
Susie and Ford had spent some time with them and assured us we would like them. We started hanging out together at each other's homes, grilling and having drinks, helping each other move, talking about our parents, our kids, our desire to have kids. I grew to like her more and more.
Just a week after Chris and I had our usual crowd over for beer, pizza and the LSU game to celebrate the move into our new house - I got a phone call from Ford. Amber was at the hospital, tests being run, doctors weren't entirely sure but it was looking like Leukemia. Ford picked up Chris and went to the hospital. I stayed home with the kids.

Her room was filled with friends and people from her church. No one was 100% sure of her diagnosis, but everyone prayed and prayed ... and prayed some more. After an hour, Chris came home to be with the kids so I could go to the hospital to see her. It was a late Sunday night and I needed to be putting Brady (who was 4 months old then) to bed, but I wanted her to know she had friends here to support her.

I am unbelievably grateful that I decided to go to the hospital because that was the last time I saw her. The next day she was diagnosed with Leukemia and for the next 28 days, she fought the cancer so hard. She was too sick for visitors, but Susie and I would go to the hospital anyway. We visited with Eric or their family members in the waiting room. We brought home-made signs, a sassy wig for her hair loss, lotions, girly stuff.

But on our way home from a girls weekend in Memphis, Susie and I got phone calls from our husbands at the exact same time. They told us the news. Amber didn't make it. That was November 16.

I have lost family members in my life. You expect to lose grandparents and great aunts and uncles. But I have never lost a friend before. It has not been easy. But we all know she is in a better place now - no pain, no cancer, just peace.

I signed up to do my first half marathon last fall before Amber got sick. After she died, I thought of her during each and every training run. Every time my legs would hurt or I would get tired, I would think... "Just think about all the pain and suffering Amber went through... you CAN do this."

Now, in Amber's memory - a group of her friends have decided to train for another half marathon and raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We are a part of Team in Training and each person is required to raise $2500 each. Our team goal is $30,000! Our team wants to make a difference in the fight against blood cancers.

I hope you will consider donating to our efforts. This race will be mine and Chris' first half marathon together and we are excited, but more importantly honored to be a part of this team. Our captain is Eric, Amber's husband, who has done an admirable job of getting through each day.

Mine and Chris' site: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ms/cmc09/jlapierre

Thank you for your consideration.... it means a lot to Amber's family and other families who are battling the same disease.

Every little bit helps.