Your war with mortality is over, On to better worlds, Christamae!

This is a post about how wonderful Christamae is. :) 

Christamae was born October 3rd, 1985.  She passed away about 2:30 am, Sunday, November 18, 2012 in Ceres, California, due to complications with a blood infection.  Her passing was quick and traumatic but it was over with in 5 minutes.  

Christamae, in my mind, was always the sparkle to the conversation.  She got right to the point, no beating around the bush for her!  That is one thing I appreciate about her.  She would say what everyone else was thinking.....and then elaborate on it. haha!  Awesome. 

She was/is very opinionated about politics and government, as she was driven by being a voice for good morals and righteousness.  She could see the world going downhill with morals, and she would tell anyone what should and should not be so.  Sometimes I caught myself saying, "what would Christamae do in this situation? What would she say about this?"  because I always knew that she had thought it out thoroughly and with a heart dedicated to doing what was right.  She wasn't worried about what men thought, she was only concerned with pleasing the Lord.

Christamae had a facial expression for everything. She didn't even have to say a word--if you looked at her face, you knew exactly what she was thinking and feeling about something.  

She was always very competitive in games. It was almost hilarious how into it she would get, and how determined she was to win.  She probably could have been a lawyer, as she loved to debate...this definitely came out in playing games with her!!  

She LOVED the LDS temple.  When it got to the point that she couldn't go anymore, she lost a lot of her drive.  She got special permission at age 19 to go through and get her endowments, and I think that really helped her to have the strength she needed to get through the next 8 years of her life.  Before she passed, I told her I would miss her a lot, and she said she would be at the temple and we could all talk to her there. I believe that :)  

She was so good to talk to.  She would listen to your problems and be understanding.  She had a healthy way of interacting with others, good give and take in the conversation.  She really did care about other people despite all the stuff she was going through. And she wasn't afraid to tell people that she was having a bad day.  She sent these long emails to her friends about once a month describing what was going on with her treatments and how rough life was, and though sometimes it brought out sad feelings in the readers, I was grateful that she felt like she could share these things....and then turn around and ask you how YOUR life was, without any judgments or comparisons, and she really did want to know. She spent hours of her time online talking to people who had disabilities or sicknesses and trying to make them feel better.

And some of my favorite conversations with her involved how excited she was about boys....whether boys I liked, or boys she liked.  haha!  She really got into that....especially when she was younger....now that she's gone I'll tell you a secret...when she was in I think 3rd or 4th grade, she had a huge list (23 to be exact) of boys that she had a crush on and why she had a crush on them in this journal/notebook she had.  Hehe! 

Christamae, Danielle, and I used to play every day together after school.  I lived with them for several years on and off. We would hang out at recess if we were on the same playground.  We would play games in the Col-de-Sac outside of their home, draw pictures of our least favorite teachers right behind the van wheels (ok that was more my doing....), and we spent HOURS recording music together.  Every Christmas we recorded a tape for our loved ones for a few years of the songs that we were learning in school and of other Christmas songs that we loved.  The would fight over who got to hang out with me (lol) and we even shared a room for awhile.  All 3 of us.  That definitely brought up some hilarious moments....especially when Danielle would act like she was having a nightmare ("Aah! I am being attacked by a giant crocodile!! Help me! Im having a nightmare!") and Christmae would call her out on it.  "You aren't dreaming.  You are lying.  Lying is wrong, Danielle."  

She LOVED Disney movies, Disney pins...anything Disney!  She loved Disneyworld too! They invited me to go with them but..unfortunately I couldn't afford it :/  It's okay, we will go all together someday. I hope it is open in the Resurrection.  ;)  

Her room is covered in inspirational quotes, pictures of Christ, pictures of the temple, and stuffed animals.  This lady had such faith, such determination, and though times were very trying for her, she didn't lose her faith. She did struggle, but she never lost it. She continuously made good choices and became more and more like Christ.  Someone online said of her, "Christamae, do you realize the name Christ is in your name?" Such a fantastic person and example, and her life will be a legacy to anyone who knew her down through the generations.  

Danielle, her sister, wrote:

"Feels like my heart is pulling apart. Life will be so empty without the best friend, sister, and example a person could ask for. My consolation is knowing she is so much freer and happier now. She was ready to go and had not a single doubt as to what would await her. She had such strong faith. Run, dance, laugh, embrace, sing, and rest in peace Christamae Zimpel"

We will miss you til we see you again! It is not the same without you.  Now we have even more motivation to live our lives the right way. You are finally free from this limiting body.  You can finally have peace. And you don't have to sleep anymore, since you always thought it was such a waste of time.  :)  And I am positive you will meet a wonderful man on the other side ;)  Thanks for your strength and powerful influence!  We love you, Christamae!!