1. ACHIEVING DREAMS 2
Where in the World Is Carmen? Marieta Irwin 2
Trash Bags Are for Trash Makenzie Snyder 7
Run with It Susan Overton 13
The Back of David s Head Mary Ellyn Sandford 19
Going to the Dogs Stephanie Taylor 24
If I Could Change the World for the Better, I Would *NSYNC and Friends 29
A Run to Remember Barbara L. Glenn 37
Shining Down Micheal Kavalinas as told by Monte Stewart 40
Dreams Ryan Kelly 44
2. ON FRIENDSHIP 48
The Forgotten Friend Judith Burnett Schneider 48
Backfire! Lou Kassem 51
Best Friends Whitney M. Baldwin 57
My Best Enemy Dakota Lane 58
Heaven Sent Beverley Mitchell 61
Keeping in Touch Emily Burton 67
My Big Solo Cynthia Marie Hamond 70
Now You See It, Now You Don t Anne McCourtie 73
3. ON FAMILY 78
Hey, Remember When? Kyle Brown 78
Families That Care, Care About Families Rachelle P. Castor 81
Together, We Can Do Anything Jarod Larson 85
Gains and Losses Xiao Xi Zhang 90
Forever Garrett Mia Hamm 94
Supper David Barbara Lage 100
I Flushed It Pier Novelli 103
This Old Chair Christa Holder Ocker 107
Mom Apryl Anderson 111
4. ON LOVE 116
Bobby Lee Daphne M. Orenshein 116
Love lives on Laurie Hartman 120
Dusty, the Wonder Dog Mary Saracino 124
The Teacher Who Cared Courtni Calhoun 126
The Act of Love Kathy Kemmer Pyron 129
Cry When You Are Sad Jonathan Piccirillo 132
Only Love Lasts Forever Denise and Rett Ackart 136
The Reason for Living Lauren Elizabeth Holden 139
5. ON DEATH AND DYING 142
April Morning Justin Day 142
Ryan s Story Kelli Frusher 144
I ll Never Forget Him Megan Weaver 148
An Angel in Disguise Megan Jennings 151
My Little Superman KeriAnne McCaffrey 156
Don t Forget to Say I Love You Nicole Fortuna 158
Grandma s Cloud Game Nadine Rogers 160
Mr. Oberley s Star Cynthia Ross Cravit 163
Life Is Short Scott Klinger 166
In Every Thought Leslie Miller 171
6. ON ATTITUDE AND PERSPECTIVE 176
Big at Heart Mark Schulle as told by Bunny Schulle 176
The Best Christmas I Never Had Mary Janice Davidson 180
The Hidden Treasure Debbie King as told by Ashley King 187
The Snow Angel Christine Fishlinger 190
You ll Be Good for Him Eugene Gagliano 193
Scott David Ferino 195
Adam s Apples Kim Aaron 197
Who Said There s No Crying in Softball? Amy Severns 199
The Yellow Piece of Paper Lauren Thorbjornsen 202
Hard Work Pays Off Karl Malone 206
7. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES 210
Annie Wiggle-Do Kathleen M. Muldoon 210
Two Percent Is Enough Krissy Creager 214
The First Day of Middle School Patty Hansen 216
Perfect, I m Not Julia Wasson Render 220
Rediscovery Raegan Baker 224
A Little Coaching Noah Edelson 228
The Last Runner Lisa Beach 232
The Power of the Pen Arlys Angelique Endres as told by Carol Osman Brown 234
Tough, Sturdy and Triumphant Elijah Shoesmith 239
Forever Stay in My Heart Jillian Eide 243
8. ON CHOICES 243
Two Tickets to the Big Game J. Styron Madsen 244
Fireplug and Dad Rusty Fischer 249
Nice Catch! Doris Canner 255
The Gorilla Syndrome Elizabeth J. Schmeidler 258
Just Desserts Beverly Spooner 264
A Chicken-Noodle-Soup Day Donna Beveridge 269
Everything Will Be Okay James Howe 273
A Silent Voice David R. Collins 280
Walking with Grandpa Uncle Greg 282
9. ON TOUGH STUFF 287
Kelsey Shane Ruwe 287
Losing Mom Diana Carson 292
Celebrate the Good Days Leslie Beck 295
Think Before You Act Lauren Wheeler 298
Getting Better Tiffany Jacques* 300
For the Best April Townsend 304
A Smile Can Save a Life Jason R. Dorsey 306
My One Regret Angelia Lee Swift 309
The Perfect Figure Nikki Yargar 312
Pale Dawn of a New Day Katherine Ackerman 315
10. ON CHANGES 319
My Very First Kiss Patty Hansen 319
A Life Once Lived Brandi Bacon 324
Papa Brian Normandin as told by Mary Normandin 328
Taking a Stand Irene Dunlap 333
Loving Equally Nicole Peters 338
Just Do It! Son Truong Nguyen 341
I Love You, Lindsey Lindsey Rawson 343
My Best Friend Tamera Collins 345
You Know You re Growing Up When Multiple Authors 348
11. ECLECTIC WISDOM 354
Redsy Barry Fireman 354
Tippy Christine Armstrong 358
What s a Miracle, Granddad? Lew Talmadge 361
Never Put Rock in Your Mouth Shirley Barone Craddock 365
The Moment I Knew I d Never Be Coll D. Marie O Keefe 367
Lost Casey Veronie 372
Kindness Is a Simple Gift Michael Oknefski 374
Our Christmas Secret Lori Menning 377
What I ve Learned So Far Multiple Authors 380
Afterword: The End Paige Holland 386