Multi-Challenge card for a dear friend

SFYTT SKETCH CHALLENGE
CRAFT Challenge Ribbons and Sparkle
Cute Card Thursday Ribbon Tastic
Rosie D's Challenge Friendship
Secret Crafter Stitching

This card started off as a funny card to cheer up my dear friend Kathy. Last Tuesday, February 23, she got the call we all fear. "The lab results are in and the tumor is malignant." This digi image was a freebie from My Favorite Things. I downloaded it because it's free. I thought I'd never use it. I HOPED I never had to use it, and if I did, it would be for someone whose distant relative twice removed had survived breast cancer. NEVER did I think I'd be using it for one of my dearest friends. But I did.

As I said, I thought a silly card would cheer her up. Neither of us like headless stamps, so I HAD to put heads on this. I realized the only pics I have of Kathy are when we've had no sleep after a Girl Scout camping trip of some sort. Her hair was in a ponytail, so I added hair. I told her I think I will officially be in charge of hair replacement for her this year. I started making this just to be a plain card to give her. Then I saw a sketch that if I just tweaked it some, this would fit. Then I found the challenges for ribbons, glitter and friendship, and kept embellishing. Just when I thought I was done I decided to add stitching which I saw on another challenge. This is when it got really fun. I took off the brad with the ribbon so I could stitch. The fancy stitch I wanted to do just wasn't working on paper. So I had a ripped up area of cardstock, which is hidden by the ribbon. That ribbon, well, I had the brad holding it on until I decided to sew. I'd cleverly punched the hole through just one layer to hide the brad ends. Then when I finished sewing I realized I couldn't get the brad back in. LOL! So, I punched another hole all the way through. By this time the back was a MESS and it was the inside of a card. This is when things got really fun. I labeled it as what she might look like post surgery. There was an incision, a scar, some staples, and of course stitching. I suggested she ask the breast cancer surgeon to use a fancy stitch during surgery.

You might wonder why I would use a card like this to enter so many challenges. Kathy is a stamper/scrapbooker. I figure if we were chosen for any of these she would really enjoy having new toys to use.

Now, about Kathy. She is holding up really well during the day. She isn't sleeping well and fear creeps in at night. She is trusting the Lord and her faith is being affirmed day by day. Two verses she said keep coming up in the most unusual places:
Psalm 118:24: This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Please pray for Kathy and her family. She has been uninsured but God is providing some ways, we think, to cover the treatment she will need (MRI's, surgery, chemo, radiation). Pray that all the right doors will be open for this. Pray for her husband, who tonight said, when he heard what insurance would cost, IF they will cover her, "I guess I'll work 8 days a week now." We both homeschool so we aren't two income families with any money to spare. Kathy helps run their business from home in addition to that. There's another prayer request: I guess they will need someone to manage the computer/billing end of things at some point. They have 2 children, ages 12 & 13 (no, that's not a typo!). Pray for healing, whether it is miraculous healing or through the wisdom He gives doctors. Please pray for the doctors to all make wise decisions in treating her.

Thank you!