My Airplane in the Night Sky

This is a blog about one of the people I love the most. Lil Aimee Larie Waller Kodra was born into my life one day as I prepared to enter the college world. I received an email from the said individual, "Hey, I'm gonna be your roommate." As we look back to our first messages, we both had the same reaction- we knew we were going to get along. BUT. We didn't know how well. 

 I was the first to move into our door. I texted her the flaws of our room, "Our drawers are broken, door doesn't shut, the bed's too long to fit in the room." And then little by little, actually a lot by a lot, we came to adore our little dorm. And each other. 

 Who knew my favorite activities would come to be hiding candy in her clothes, jumping on her bed, jumping on her, learning how to rap, going to her family's house, and listening to her talk about her day.

Aimee is a person whom I would label "Christ-like". Daaang, does she have her head on straight. She was a great example in living her testimony. She knows, loves, and depends on the Savior. She goes to the temple in the ungodly morning hours. She knows what's right and nothing deters her.

I love her for her directness. I need someone like her who will tell me that I'm being an idiot. She just says it like it is. It didn't take long for me to move past my comfort zone.

Aimee is the epitome of dedicated and determined. That's how she became a nationally ranked gymnast, earning a full ride scholarship to BYU. She owns more trophies and medals than you would find at a trophy store. That's the way she is in every aspect of her life. She pushes herself starting at 4am- with her workout, academic life, job, being a friend, the Gospel. This girl can get things done.

But here's the thing I love most about Aimee. She makes lemonade out of lemons. This girl has had more trials in her life than I hope I will ever have. Remember how she wins every gymnastic competition she's in? And how that's her passion, her life, her dream? What about when injury kills everything she had, eliminating any future hope of doing gymnastics again? She marches forward. On my birthday two years ago, her car (with her in it) was hit by a semi-truck. Let's consider the additional damge done there. But that's not all. Break after fracture after tear after surgery after surgery after surgery, Aimee takes it. I watched her lie in bed, almost paralyzed with pain. She never complained. NEVER. Life has been hard on her body and it doesn't stop. Even though her body's not strong enough to take it, her spirit is.
Guess what? A broken body's only half her trials. The rest is way too personal for me to tell the public via a blog, but I can tell you that her endurance is the same. Her faith is strong, her optimism dominant, her lovely character the same.

Aimee married a wonderful man this summer. Suuuureeee I cried my eyes out and I miss her more than she'll ever know, but that's okay. I will continue to put candy corn in her closet, fold her clothes, and clean her bathroom. I feel like I owe this girl my life. Love you, Aimsters!