Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Comfort food, ohhh how I love thee :) I can make some yummy comfort foods like homemade baked mac n cheese, cookies, different pasta dishes, spanish rice, Mexican and Italian dishes that I know make my family feel good, but the funny thing is that alot of these pasta dishes I can't eat lol I actually get the comfort from making them and seeing how those I love enjoy them. So I never thought that egg salad sandwiches would be added into this category! But somehow they now are :)

Like I was telling you in my last post, we lost our dad March 14 and it has been tough, he died of lung cancer. We had him for ONLY 3 weeks from the time we found out what he had. I still get so angry thinking about it and the pain is sometimes so bad that it hurts to breath when I think of all the loss we have had in our lives in less than 3 years, but with the help of some much loved people in my life I am dealing with it as best as we all can. One of my best friends in all the world Debbie, was going thru the same thing, her mother had it too, we lost her lovliness almost 1 1/2 weeks before we lost my dad and god bless her because even in her heartbreak Debbie was still there for me, helping me with what was coming, telling me truly how bad it was gonna be and while you might think why do that? I am so greatful that she did because I was better able to prepare myself and more importanly my loved ones. So you ask where does the egg salad sandwhiches play in this? Well let me tell you......

One of my dearest friends, Renie, my neighbor from across the street had been trying for 15 years to have a baby, they finally got pregnant last year but sadly lost the baby after 6 weeks. But God was listening to them and their heartbreak, because they now have a beautiful lil baby girl named Andrea that is so delicious it hurts when I have to give her back when it is time to go home after I visit :) When I came home from visiting my mom, like I do everyday, Renie was sitting on her porch and yelled for me to come over and visit a min. before I went inside my home. To be honest with all the pain we are still dealing with, a few minutes with that gorgeous baby smiling was my "comfort" that I needed. When I went over, the first thing she asked me was how we all were, was my mom doing a bit better? After replying to her, you could just about knock me over when she dropped this next question on me. She said " How bad did it really get for your dad that last week when we never saw you here at the house? You guys were always at your parents so I couldn't ask you." My eyes welled up, but I kept my tears in check and I told her most of it, but not the worst parts because I am not ready to think about that yet. She said I need you to tell me all of it, I need to know, she hugged her lil one, bent her head and started to cry. She told me they just found out her dad has cancer in his liver. I felt the air knocked out of me and I just hugged her and we held onto each other for dear life and cried. What else can you do or say? I tried to tell her that what happend to my dad, might never happen to hers, that every cancer is different as is the person going thru it and what their experience will be. She didn't buy it, she still wanted to know and as bad as it was, I remembered how my dear friend Debbie shared her heartbreak with me and how even though the thought of my dad possibly going thru that scared the hell out of me, it made me feel better knowing I wasn't alone going thru this, that someone I loved understood what I was feeling and going thru.....so I told her what that last week was like and we cried some more, the tears were for my dads pain, for mine, her fathers and her. I felt better after that but still hurt for her knowing what she might be in for. She told me she was leaving for Mexico for a whole month to be with her parents and that she wanted her dad to know her lil angel before it was too late. I was sad that she was leaving but glad she had the chance to be with her loved ones at this time.

She just left this past friday and the morning she was getting ready she called and said "Can you do me a favor?" Anything I replied. "Can you make us some of your delish egg salad sandwiches for our trip?" now you have to understand, there is NOTHING special about my recipe, just hard boiled eggs, salt n pepper and butta on soft white bread. But hey if that is what she wanted then so be it. Later that evening my hushand and I went over there to wish them well and to let them know we were here if they needed ANYTHING, even just to talk, they could call at any hour. Our husbands joked while we stepped away from them. I held baby Andrea and just took in all her beauty. I inhaled that wonderful "new baby" scent that I just so adore for all its worth and we hugged, no tears, we got those out of the way that sad day. But we laughed so hard we cried when she said " Thanks for the egg salad sandwiches, I was sooo craving them, they taste so good and when I am eating them at 1 in the morning before our flight and I feel like crying, I will feel better because I know you made them for me and they will taste soo good I will feel better, like chocolate helps you!" ( You have to understand that in My world Chocolate makes EVERYTHING better lol) and hence egg salad sandwiches are now part of the comfort foods in our house :)
Rose

7 comments:

Lisa@End of the Lane said...

Hey Rose! What a sweet, heartfelt post. I cried...your words were from your heart, and I know they were not easy for you.

Then I read your earlier post and laughed (and I am in the campus library!) but hey, two posts in one day, now that is something!

You really should post some of your recipes! I love trying new recipes, especially Mexican and Italian, but I am not picky, I'll try anything you post.

Christine said...

How great for you to be their for your friend. It was wonderful that you put your heartache aside for the sake of you friend.That you for sharing this heartfelt story!

Blessings,
Christine

Unknown said...

Sweet story.......have been through the same thing this year and it was very difficult to get through.....I love egg salad too.....I always add a few olives as well.....hope you find smiles today :) jana

Faded Plains said...

What a sweet post. My Dad too has passed away from cancer and it's always hard to talk about...even now 2 years later...I cry a bit everyday cuz I miss him. I'm so glad you were able to help your friend...I'm sure it was very comforting for her to be able to talk to someone.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rose,
I am so sorry for the loss of your Dad. I still have both of my parents and can not even begin to know the heartache you are feeling.
I do know that strength comes in many forms. Sharing your loss and love with Renie hopefully helped you a little too.
I love egg salad too, but have always made it with mayo and sweet pickles~~lol!
Hugs,
Lynn♥

The Feathered Nest said...

Oh sweet girl...your posts are just precious...straight from your heart. What a precious friend you are and I will never be able to eat an egg salad sandwich again without thinking of you!!! oh and by-the-way, you DO have a blog fairy that might grant your pink laptop wish.... and his name is Chris! :) hugs and love, Dawn

Nita Jo said...

Oh Rose, I've been weeping through this post. A friend I hadn't seen in a couple of years passed away recently from lung cancer. Her family said it was 6 weeks from being told, till she was gone. I never got to say goodbye. I also lost both parents to cancer. Such a hateful disease. I am so sorry for the loss of your dad.

I love how you shared the worst with your friend. I was with my mom when she went. I knew it would be bad, but not the full extent. Family and friends got me through it. It's amazing how the seemingly little things make a difference. For me, it was having a small glass of mom's Merlot and a piece of dark chocolate (her favorite). I also know I won't look at an egg salad sandwich the same... now, it will bring a smile.

Blessings!
Nita Jo