Sunday, May 15, 2011

horrible weekend

All last week I was on pins and needles for a call from our adoption agency. One that I never got, by the way. I did, however, get the kind of call no one ever wants.

It was one of those "are you with people?" calls.

An "are you sitting down?" call.

A call so bad that my cubicle mates started giving me looks as I started bawling.

A friend of mine from college, Dennis Foster, had died, suddenly. He was in my class, an education major like me, a fellow resident assistant, a man with ambitions, and a man who had the biggest crush on another education major, Crystal.

Fast forward almost ten years and Dennis and Crystal have two daughters and a lovely home. She's a teacher and he's a principal of a local elementary school. They were at my wedding. I've hosted her baby showers, we get pedicures together, he cooked black eyed peas for my momma on New Year's Day.

And now he's gone.

And I'm sad.

I've spent time with Crystal this weekend, as she makes funeral arrangements and consoles her daughters and deals with some of her own health problems. I've cried with her, for her, for him and for those of us left reeling by this death. She has screamed at the heavens, wailing and wanting it all to be just some story about other people. But it is not.

There is so much pain wrapped up in this situation and this morning at church I worshipped and cried through most of it, praising the God who gives and takes away. All weekend, I've been whispering "Jesus, be with us in this place."

So, prayers for my friend Crystal and her two daughters. This is going to be a hard road for them to travel.

9 comments:

Bailey's Leaf said...

So sad. I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I'm glad that you've been able to be there for your friend and her daughters. Sometimes the best is having someone be there as you break down and somewhat fall apart.

Prayers to all of you.

JellyBelly said...

I'm so sorry to read your sad news.

Hugs and prayers are coming your way!

A Family of Love said...

Praying for you and your friend and her daughters.

MaMaNina said...

So sorry for the loss of your friend and the pain all are experiencing. Also thankful for the friend you are being to your friend and her daughters. Through the pain, God is allowing you to be a huge blessing to her. Praying for you all of you!

Alison said...

Lots of hugs and prayers to you and your friend. And for Dennis' students, too. So sad.

Leila@LittleCatholicBubble said...

I am so very sorry. I will keep everyone in my prayers.

Colleen said...

I just wanted to say that I am so sorry. I will be praying for you and your friend and her family. Life just never goes the way we think it will and things like this just hurt so, so much.

Ann said...

Oh, Sissy, I am so sorry to see this. How horrible and painful for his family and friends. Sending gentle hugs, sweet friend.

Frizzy said...

Sissy, I'm so sorry for your friend's loss for your loss. I will be praying for you all in this time of loss.

I'm also sorry you didn't hear from your agency. It's one of my biggest peeves! If you say you're going to call then CALL. Even if it's bad news. Then at least I can grieve the news and begin to move on.