Dear Ida Mae

It has almost been a month since my sweet friend Ida Mae passed away.  Her and Carolyn were good friends to us from the beginning of our life in Payson, and it is truly hard to think that I won't be able to laugh with her anytime soon.  It does, however, bring me good comfort to know that she is on the other side, meaning that I am not as afraid of death knowing that she would be one of the people I could see there.  She is definitely one that I do look forward to see again.  If my own family was not available for the picking, I would have liked to have picked hers.  I have been blessed to have meet some of her children, and they are some of the finest people that I have ever met.  I would have been proud to be a granddaughter of hers, but in truth... I felt like one anyway.  I knew that she loved me and my kids.  This is the first photo that I have with Ida Mae.  It was at a ward pool party.  She got a kick out of Emmi's little bikini.

That fall, her and Carolyn hosted a Halloween party.  Ida Mae dressed up for the very first time in her life.

Ida Mae was crazy about babies.  I would always sit beside her in Relief Society so she could hold mine.  Just a week after we brought Jack home, we took him up to meet her.

Through the years, we have been blessed to have been able to go up to the house and visit with Ida Mae and Carolyn.  Carolyn would get out toys out for the kids to play with while we talked.  We always had a hard time leaving.

Instead of a Halloween party, last year Carolyn and Ida Mae hosted a "May Day" party for the kids, and they had food and games for the kids outside.

At the beginning of this year, I got word that she was not doing well. I visited her a couple of times after that, afraid that each would be the last. But Ida Mae is a fighter, and she held on.

Our very last visit was coincidentally on her birthday, when Ida Mae turned 96 years old.  We stopped by after church to say hi.  She was was actually feeling really well that day, and surprised me by knowing all of our names just like old times.  I am so grateful that I took my camera with me that day to capture this sweet moment.  I am grateful to have known this beautiful lady. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, etc., and saint.  I hope to make her proud when we undoubtedly meet again.