The Loss of a Friend!!!

I haven't written anything about this over the past week because every time I have thought about it I have just wished it was all a dream and I would wake up one morning, get on FB, and see my friend Cami online and chat with her about what's going on in our lives. It seems so unreal that she is really gone. Especially since I had talked to her just a few days before she passed. She was such a woman of strength, so full of life, energy, wisdom, and with so many talents. I have so many memories of her and each one makes me smile, because she had a way of doing that to people. You couldn't help but smile when she was around. She was funny, quirky, silly, infectious, and just a super cool gal! I remember the first time we met! I asked her where they moved from and where they went to school - and after establishing she was a Ute fan and I was a BYU fan we decided we could still be friends but would always be rivals and forever cheer for opposing schools! :)

It seems so unfair that she was taken off this earth so young. She was just 30 years old and had 4 young children. On August 29th, 2011 she passed away in her sleep from a brain aneurysm. It makes you wonder sometimes why this type of thing happens to such good people, and why God would leave her family without their mother. I am grateful to have the knowledge from the church that in fact Heavenly Father does know of their situation, and that more he loves them so much and has a plan for them and also a plan for her and that she was so special he must need her back for more important things than she was even doing here. She left her footprint on everything she was involved in, and I hope to never forget any of the lessons I learned from her or the service she gave and the example she was to others. Yesterday as I was playing the piano in primary my eyes welled up with tears as I thought of the primary in our Mountain Island ward down in NC that will be missing her this day and lost their chorister. She substituted a few times while I was the pianist down there before she got the calling and she was magnificent. For some reason, yesterday while I was playing it really hit me that it is real and she won't be coming back. I love you Cami Southwick, and I am so grateful for the lessons you taught me and the friend that you were! I can't wait to see you someday and give you a big hug in heaven!

I love that you taught me to make grilled salad and how every time I make it I think of you.

I love how you taught me how to make all sorts of other yummy foods and how each time you invited us to dinner it was like we were at a big huge feast! You are an amazing cook!!!

I love how you always were so sweet to me when I was sick and pregnant and invited me over to just lay on your bed and watch Greys Anatomy with you and you would cook if I wanted anything, or just let me lay there and do absolutely nothing but kept me company and took my mind off the constant nausea.

I love that you got me hooked on Biggest Loser and that you were a reality TV junkie like me and would always talk shows!

I love that you had SO MUCH ENERGY with everything you did and your loud, boisterous, and infectious laugh and personality! You were a party girl and knew how to have a fun time with everything!

I love how you were such a great example of a mom to me and showed me every time I was with you how to teach with love and patience and kindness.

I loved coming to Shaylie's birthday party and seeing all the work and time and fun you put into it!

I love how kind you were and how you gave me ALL your baby stuff and boy stuff because you said you were done having babies and you just wanted it out! (and then you had cute little logan not that much later!)

I love that you were always so willing to help anyone and everyone and although you didn't feel good a LOT of the time you always made time for others and really opened your house to anyone and made others feel special.

I loved Loved LOVED the conversations that we have been able to have the past couple years over FB even when we didn't live close, and just how we could always talk about anything!

I loved how much you were so in love with Ryan and he with you and watching such a special marriage and the example that was to all around you!

I love that we had Thanksgiving with you guys and were able to make so many other memories together with your family.

I love that I got to call myself your home teacher and that I could come with Chip so many times and be a part of your family in that way and share so many memories from that. I love that you weren't afraid to say things and the funny memories I have of all the hilarious conversations we had.

I love that we have the memory of the picture above of dressing up for the Emmy's together for our RS dinner and going over with you. You wanted me to do your makeup cuz you said you never put much on - but you certainly didn't need much because you were beautiful and your eyes sparkled without any goop being put on your face. We had so much fun laughing as we got ready, and got into our outfits. You had the best outfit ever finding that sparkly pink hairspray outfit and then using my hat and it was one of my all time favorite memories of you!!! That night I will always treasure! We laughed and laughed before we even got over to the church, and it was just the two of us acting like 12 year old and it was so fun!

I love your testimony and how you always did what was right and set an example to so many of us and just had your heart on your sleeve and were so happy!

I love you, and you will be so missed here on earth!

You are an amazing woman and friend! Love you Cami!!!