This last weekend Mike, my parents, and I drove up to San Francisco. Saturday was a big day for my Jackie!.

For those of you that are new here, Jackie! is one of my best friends in the world. Last June 23, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor on her frontal lobe. She had brain surgery to remove most of it. The tests came back as an aggressive stage three. She’s undergone radiation and now has a week of chemo every month…somewhat indefinitely.

Yeah, Jackie! and I “joke” all the time about how she, Mike, and I won the “worst things that could ever happen to you” lottery.

Right after she was diagnosed, Jackie! named her tumor “Turk The Jerk.”

On Saturday, my family and I joined over 80 other Jackie! lovers to participate in the Bay Area Brain Tumor Walk.

Our team name? “Turk is Toast.” Jackie! and her dad made toast-shaped head gear for all to wear.

I wore the head-bobbers, Mike wore the big toast, and the little toast…it was for Maddie. You see, Maddie, Mike and I had been planning to attend the walk, and then Maddie and I were going to stay in the city a few extra days to hang with Jackie!.

Maddie was supposed to be there. She was supposed to grab the toast hat off her head and throw it to the ground, making me pick it up over and over again. She was supposed to be in her stroller, or in a baby bjorn, or passed from person to person. She was supposed to be taking a few of her own steps in the walk. She was supposed to take her second airplane flight. She was supposed to be exploring San Francisco with me right now.

Her toast hat is so little. I couldn’t wear it on my head, so I tied the purple ribbon Jackie! gave me around me neck, and I wore her hat like a necklace.

The walk went great. A ton of money was earned in Jackie!’s name. “Turk is Toast” won the team spirit award.

Maddie would have been the most spirited one out there. She’s supposed to be here.