Day +171, BMT:: Love. Loss. Life.

Bubbles with Rachel. A birthday cupcake with Diana. A princess wagon ride with Maddison. Video games with Malik. A manicure with Miyah. A Halloween fright with Hayden. Waiting room antics with Samirah.

Many of Jade's friendships have been built on moments. Spontaneous. Fleeting. Innocent. Mundane moments, really, with the only kids outside of our family that Jade now identifies as friends. All kids she met on the oncology/hematology floor. All friends who made month-long hospital stays bearable, who even make long days at clinic something to look forward to. Friends we pray for. Friends we truly love.

One of those friends sweetly checked in on Jade during one of her four trips to the hospital this week.  (Jade has a pretty wicked cough that, along with a fever, prompted an unscheduled trip to the ER from 12am to 4am on Sunday, which was followed by scheduled photopheresis treatments and other follow-ups.) As we sat in a shared room in the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic with the curtain drawn between us and another family, Jade's small frame shaking with each bout of coughing, Hayden asked in a voice almost smaller than Jade's, "Are you okay, Jade?" It was such a simple gesture, but so sweet, genuine...

We lost a friend last week. A beautiful little girl. I remember Jade standing shyly at Miyah's open door, eying all of her pretty pink stuff, waiting for the invitation that she would accept without hesitation. No encouragement needed... or waiting for my permission. I remember our fascination with Miyah's entrepreneurial spirit and the nail salon she set up for patients and staff. Remember when my friend painted my nails? Jade still talks about her friend doing her nails.  I remember not having to worry about keeping our neighbor up with midnight movie marathons because she was up too.  The girls had their transplants just weeks apart.

I can't help but hold Jade and Jaytoe a little closer. Day +171.  Thankful for life. For the gift of friendship. For Miyah, Arianna, Diana, Hayden, Maddison, Malik, Rachel, Samirah, Vanessa. Thankful for these angels, fighters, and survivors that Jade has called 'friend.' Thankful for being Jade's best friend. Her girlfriend. Her twin sister. At least that's what she says. Thankful for everyone that has been a friend to our family. And so very grateful for Jade's continued remission, her smile, her strength and humor through her continued, but winning, fight with chronic GVHD. For this holiday season. For every moment we have with her and for every moment we have with friends. Thankful for the bumps in the road. For still being on the road...  Happy Holidays, friends.  Wishing peace for you all!