I just got off the phone with Ada Red Horse.  She’s going to South Dakota this weekend to visit her sister, and I’m going to miss her.

Ada is one of my best friends.  She accepts me the way I am, flaws and all, and still finds great ways to encourage me to do better, to be better.  And nothing slows her down.  At 81 years old, she can still beat me getting in and out of the car.   

Last February, she came with me and my family to the state capitol ground to participate in an attempt to recapture the snow angel record for the Guinness World Records (which we did, by the way—check out this USA Today article). When the signal was given, everyone dropped on the ground and swished their arms and legs in the snow. 

Ada and I still laugh about that day.  I wore a fleece jacket that really collected the snow.  She had to help brush me off. 

On the way back to the car, I held Ada’s arm.  The pavement and sidewalks were icy, and I didn’t want her to fall.  We made it all the way up the capitol mall and were nearly to the parking lot when I slid, hard, and nearly hit the pavement.   But not to worry—Ada caught me!