On Thurs. January 27, I was at Safeway doing my grocery shopping and I was just finishing up unloading my grocery cart onto the conveyer belt, when I got the phone call that my baby sister, Liza, had died. It was extremely traumatic and I just ran out of the store, bawling loudly as I ran past the surprised checkers and other shoppers. In the coming days, I vowed never to shop at Safeway again because I never wanted to relive that worst experience of my life, in anyway.
Tues. Feb 1st, my little Olivia was home sick from school with a fever. I spent the morning caring for her and crying my eyes out as I found new video I had taken of Liza when she arrived at the Phoenix airport, this Christmas Eve. (there were more hugs given and besides a video of mom hugging her, these were the only hugs I captured).
That same day, Russ also found a bunch of pictures of her with our family when she visited us in Dec. of 2004. They are priceless!
My sick little Olivia requested "jo-jo potatoes" and chicken strips for lunch (from the Safeway deli) and for some reason I felt like indulging her. I had other errands to run near Safeway and I figured I had to go back sometime. I kept procrastinating however, and finding important things to do, emails to send etc. before I finally left around noon.
I pulled into the parking lot and wiped my eyes, took a deep breath and even before I got out of my Suburban, I noticed a man in a blue uniform. I wondered what the police were doing there and then wished that it were the firemen and not the police because those guys were my buddies. As I got out of my car, I looked to my left and I saw a big, blue and white Gilbert fire truck. It WAS the firemen after all. Not only was it the firemen, it was MY FIREMEN! Yes, Alex Ramos, Adam Hellmann and two others who had been at my house fire, Russ's fall and who Olivia and I had brought cookies to just a week after those incidents. We were all happily surprised to see each other and met in the middle of the parking lot to catch up.
They said, "Mrs. Crawford! How is your family? How was the rest of your January? I hope it got better!" Poor guys had no idea what they were in for! I told them that things had in fact gotten worse, much worse, and that my little sister had died. They asked all about her and what happened, and I showed them pictures on my phone of my gorgeous Liza. They were so sorry and so sad that this had happened. After talking a while, we remembered how last time I saw them (at the fire station while delivering cookies) I had said that I hoped to see them again soon, but NOT at my house for an emergency, but around town, "like at the grocery store." It was very comforting talking to them and it definitely cheered me up.
As we finished up our conversation, we all headed toward's the dreaded store together. I had two firemen on my left, and two on my right. I was flanked by blue uniforms, and as I felt the cool breeze on my face and warm sun on my back the thought hit me, which I immediately said aloud, "You guys were supposed to be here today. You are my angels, my angels in blue!" They smiled and we went into the store where we parted with hugs and kind words.
I have often wondered why those two crazy accidents happened to our family early in January and what I was supposed to learn. Maybe it was just so Heavenly Father could give me a big blue hug during the most difficult trial of my life. I am so grateful for His love and tenderness to each of His children and for Him reminding me, once again, that He is aware of me, and loves me perfectly.
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