Au Revoir, Shandee!

From the moment we moved to Hemet, I have felt like I was finally somewhere I could call "home." I loved the schools, our neighborhood, the blue skies, the mountains nearby, and especially our ward at church. One of the biggest reasons why I felt so immediately welcomed at church was because of Shandee Goulding! She is the first friend that I can remember -- she has an electric smile and personality, and I remember her warm hellos and interest in me. She made me feel special.

Shandee is an amazing person. She is a great wife and mother, a great housekeeper, she has impeccable taste, she's a fantastic hostess, she's creative, she's a hard worker, she's spiritual without being self-righteous, and she's a great gardener. I know you're never supposed to compare yourself to others, but I made the mistake a few years ago when I compared myself to Shandee. It was right after one of her fabulous Halloween parties, and I had barely been able to throw together a costume. I felt so inadequate, and yet I knew she would hate it if she found out how I felt. She is humble in her enthusiasm, and she has a way of pointing out and bringing out the best in people.

Shandee is the one who made me feel good about my callings, she complimented me on my singing, she talked about how great my kids are. What am I going to do without someone to remind me how wonderful I am? Shandee and her family have moved to Canada -- luckily, just for two years. I know she checks my blog from time to time, so I wanted to tell her thank you, and let her know I love her and can't wait for her to return.