I put this video together to thank my friends for being there for our family during the past year.
Tomorrow marks 6 months since my father-in-law passed away in our home. It was early in the morning; my hubby was helping Dad to the bathroom when he collapsed saying, “I need to rest”. Dave screamed my name. I knew in my heart what had happened, I’d heard that tone before. Dave’s mom collapsed and died in his arms, in our home, on October 7, 2005.

I flew down the stairs two at a time, leaped over where Dave and Dad lay in the hall and dialed 911. Within 10 minutes the fire trucks were outside our door. I held Dad on my lap while Dave opened the door and showed the firemen where to go. I knew Dad was already gone by this point, but I couldn’t put him down on the cold, tile floor.
The paramedics dragged him down the hall and into the front foyer, a larger space for them to work on him. He was no longer with us, but still they pounded on his chest, injected medication into his veins and intubated him.
The entire time I was watching them work on Dad, answering their questions about his medical history and medications, I had one eye on the clock. You see… Dad’s certifiable wife of 4 years had abandoned him 6 weeks earlier, after causing him {and us} great distress for several months. She had called saying she was coming by that morning to get some of her things. I didn’t want her to see him being taken away by ambulance. I didn’t want her to see us in such agony. I couldn’t bare to see her. Period.
If it wasn’t for our friends who rallied around us; bringing us meals, taking our kids for the night, helping with the funeral, holding us up, standing in the gaps, I don’t know how we would have survived.
One Sunday morning, I was standing by myself at the front of the church, crying, when a friend came over and put her arm around me. I turned into her for a full-on-hug and crumpled into her chest under the weight of all we’d been through. I felt like I had been gutted. As I sobbed in the nook where her neck and shoulder meet, you know the spot… the area your kids snuggle into when they’re little, that I realized friends are the family we choose for ourselves {Edna Buchanan}.
So from my family to all my friends. Thank You.
Let your friends know they count!



The reason for the Build-A-Bear reference at the end of the video… they are doing a campaign on friendship to celebrate their 15th Anniversary. All that thinking about my friends inspired me to do this video.

Shash

I'm the Cool Mom of 4, Married to the Preacher Man, but at times I'm a little more Sass than Saint!

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11 Comments

  1. Oh, Shash! This post had me in tears. Lots of love coming your way. Hugs for you and that wonderful family of yours. xoxoox

  2. Beautiful post. "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves"…what a nice concept.
    Rosemary

  3. Lovely post. I feel for you lady, and I'm so glad you've had such great friends there to support you. {hugs}

  4. Heartwrenching! So sorry

  5. What a wonderful and heartfelt post! Sending a big cyber hug your way

  6. This post is why I love to read your blog, it's a known fact people do not read many except to do giveaways but I am so glad that you and Sober Julie write deep from the heart and love reading them:)Big huge hugs to you!

  7. Sending tons of hugs your way and I'm sure the feeling is mutual and your friends feel blessed to have you and your family in their life as well.

  8. That was gorgeous. Thank you for putting that together. It was also nice to see you in person! x

  9. Read this post with tears in my eyes. Hugs to you hun..

  10. hard to see the video through tears. You know why you have great friends. Because you are a great friend. HUGS

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