Jenny is one of my most favorite people in the whole world. I like to think I inherited her friendship when I joined my mom's "Girl's Night" when I moved back to the DC area a little under 5 years ago. I instantly fell in love with Jenny's fun personality. I aspire to be like Jenny because everyone loves Jenny. I find myself in situations thinking sometimes, "What would Jenny do...?"

When I moved back, another way Jenny and I bonded was through our pregnancies. Mark was born just a few months before my Autumn. We swapped vomiting stories, she taught me all about labor and answered my questions about what labor was like. It's been fun to have mom chatter and talk about how Mark and Autumn are hitting new milestones and growing too big, too fast.

In April of this year, Mark was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after a trip to the ER when his "cold symptoms" took an unusual and concerning turn. When our family got the call, we were all in shock. It hit me especially hard because Mark is so small. He's Autumn's age. Out of nowhere Jenny's world was flipped upside down. I couldn't imagine what she was going through.

It's been months since Mark began treatment and although his long curls have since fallen out, he's still the same old Mark. I tagged along to one of Mark's twice-weekly appointments and I couldn't keep up with him! It was obvious the nurses love Mark and he knows the drill. It was like he was snuggling in his bed at home. That was until it was time for the nurses to administer his chemo. It broke my heart when he held up his hand and began to cry, asking for "five more minutes". It took everything in me not to break down as I watched such a tiny little person go through something no kid should have to but Mark was so brave. Minutes later it was as if nothing had happened.

As we were leaving, Mark was bouncing around, laughing and smiling, just as he'd entered the hospital. Mark welcomed me with open arms into such a personal moment and literally ended with a big, warm hug. I never knew a 30 pound little boy with blond fuzz could inspire me so much.