Because Friends Know Just What to Do

Two years ago my husband spent the week before Christmas in the hospital with a serious gallbladder condition. He almost died. I was a wreck, worrying about his health and our medical bills. I couldn't do any of the normal Christmas stuff with my kids, including shopping. My 8-year-old son, Reese, was particularly distraught: He had been determined to get me a pair of sparkly earrings. When my friend April heard how upset he was, she took Reese to Target to pick out a few gifts. She even helped him pay for them and wrap them. April gave my son some normalcy -- and even joy -- in an otherwise-awful time for our family. It may not have been a big deal to her, but it was huge for us.
-Adrienne Penrod, Orem, Utah