Cheryl......

This is a picture of Kristin and her daughter Lauren, me and my Ryanne, and Robynn and her Emily. Robynn, Kristin and I go way back. We "grew up" (hahaha) together in San Jose. Cheryl, their mom passed away a week ago. I am heading to California for the funeral in a minute and wanted to express some of my thoughts and feelings about Cheryl. She was diagnosed with MS years ago and just lost (another) battle with cancer. Earlier I was on the phone with Robynn and we talked about how her body is "whole" again and how happy she must be. Part of the reason I wanted to quickly blog is that I never want to forget what Robynn said to me. She said, "can you imagine the impact she would have had in this life if she had had a working body." That is so true. I will never understand why such a charismatic, life loving woman had to go through the trials she did. Cheryl really was amazing. She was my young women's leader for years and I loved her. I never doubted that she loved me then, or now. Cheryl made such an impact on people with the body she did have. I know that everyone that knew Cheryl is a better person for having had her touch their lives. I know that she is now happy and whole again. I know that she would want us all to be the same here. She would tell us all to never give up! I believe that Heaven is a better place with her there. She would want us to celebrate her life.

Obviously, Cheryl was not perfect. She had her moments. (I shutter to think of my involvement in many of those such "moments.") I mean she HAD to love her kids, but she did not have to love me! Yet, I knew she did! Now that I am a mom, I realize that she taught me many things that kids need to know. Like.....sometimes you just want to throw a shoe at overly obnoxious teenagers, that is really isn't okay to pee on your brother's pillow when you are 14, that you shouldn't pull over to pretend to pick up hitch hikers, that you should be nice when a little kid writes on the shower door in poop, no driving without a drivers license, etc., etc., etc..

Seriously, Cheryl was one of my favorite leaders. I still remember some of her YW's lessons and her sweet testimony. Today I was in a store and the lady helping me heard me say that I was going to California for a funeral. After I hung up, she asked where in California. I told her I was flying to San Jose and that the funeral was in Sacramento. She said, "Oh, I lived in Roseville (which is by Sacramento) for a long time." I replied, "My friend lived in Roseville for a long time." Long story short, she knew Cheryl they had been in the same ward. She told me a funny story about Cheryl that I can't wait to tell the family tomorrow. This woman loved Cheryl and her family.

To know Cheryl, was to love her. She will be missed!