Archive for December, 2010

• the Unexpected

  Date: 2010.12.27 | Category: faith, friends | Response: 3

  Thursday morning, December 23rd, I was enjoying the last few hours of sleep before another busy day when the phone rang.  It was 5:48 am.

  Polly, the mom of my dear friend, Tricia was on the phone.  We need you to come right away to get the boys, we’re taking Robb in an ambulance.  Come right now, she said.  Don’t wait.  I threw on some sweats from off the top of the pile and was out the door in less than a minute, I’m sure.

  The night before I had gotten a text from Tricia asking for prayer because her husband, Robb was very sick and she was taking him to urgent care.

  I rounded the corner to their house and was confronted with a street full of flashing lights.  Fire trucks, ambulances, police cars.  This was not quite what I had expected to find.

  I raced inside and saw Polly walking around the living room with Tyler while Tricia sat at the kitchen table reading scripture.  The paramedics were milling about.  The house was very quiet.

  My first instinct was to pray, so pray I did.  I ran to Tricia’s side and prayed out loud.  The only words I remember saying are “please breathe life into him”.  When I finished Tricia looked me in the eye and told me that she thought he was dead.  She told me that she had performed CPR on Robb until the paramedics took over.  That they had been at the house for 45 minutes and wouldn’t let her go upstairs.  That she didn’t think he was alive.

  I sent messages to my husband and our small group.  Pray.  Pray now.

  Only a moment or two later a paramedic came downstairs to talk to us.  They had been unable to resuscitate him.  There was nothing more that they could do.

  I took over caring for Tyler while Polly went to Tricia.

  A few short minutes later Robb’s dad and brother ran into the house.  I can picture Tricia so clearly as she stood and told them “he died”.

  I will never forget the sound of the keening wail that followed.  Never.

  It is a sound I had never heard before.  I pray that I never hear it again.

  I pray I never utter such a sound.

  The sound of raw grief.

  Tricia jumped into action.  Get the boys out of here.  Take them and go.

  Tucker was woken up and carried out my car where I was already buckling Tyler into a car seat a few sizes too small.

  We drove to my house.  They chattered about the Christmas lights that were on in the neighborhood.  We all wondered if the lights were on yet at my house.

  My husband took them downstairs to watch a movie.

  I sat upstairs and cried.

  For the loss of my friend.

  For my friend’s loss.

  For two little boys who lost their daddy.  They are 3 and 5.

  For plans that have been cancelled permanently.

  For dreams that have been shattered.

  For my husband.

  For my children.

  How do you move on from a loss like this?

  This is not what I had planned.

  

  You are missed, Robb.  You are missed.

  Robb Williford
  August 27, 1975 – December 23, 2010

  

• Christmas (or anytime!) Fudge

  Date: 2010.12.22 | Category: recipes | Response: 0

  These recipes are easy and by far make the yummiest fudge around!

  Peppermint Chocolate Fudge

  1 pkg Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

  1/2 pkg Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

  1 can sweetened condensed milk

  dash of salt

  1/2 tsp peppermint extract

  1/4 cup crushed candy canes

  Chocolate Orange Fudge

  1 1/2 pkgs Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

  1 can sweetened condensed milk

  3 TBS chocolate syrup

  1/2 tsp orange extract

  Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in the microwave at 50% power for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30-60 seconds.  Stir in all other ingredients.  Spread in a foil lined 8×8 baking dish.  Chill 2 hours or until firm.

  Turn fudge onto a cutting board and peel off foil.  Cut into small squares (I use a pizza roller).

  Store in a tightly sealed container at room temp.

  Yum!