old...eh...long time friends!

Last week I had the extreme pleasure of having one of my dearest friends stay and visit with me.  Michelle Stevens Sundwall came to visit from the 15th-19th.  She also did me the great favor of helping teach a choral conducting class for the Stake Music training workshop I put on.  Of course she did a marvelous job and everyone was thoroughly impressed and well taught.  After the workshop we got changed and went to City Place - downtown Palm Beach. (for Salt Lake-ians it's our Gateway).  We went to Panera and MovieCo to see "Leap Year" - silly movie, fun date!  Sunday, I accompanied Michelle as she sang "O Holy Jesus".  Seriously gorgeous. I gained props for knowing someone that freakishly talented.  She then accompanied me as I sang "I Rejoice" for Gospel Doctrine class. I also taught the class, so it was a tad tacky that I sang too, but too bad. When was I going to get a chance to have my friend accompany me again? I think we talked the whole rest of the day. Dave was a peach getting dinner cleaned up so we could chit-chat.  The next morning we went to breakfast at JohnG's on the beach in Lake Worth (to die for cinnamon-almond french toast!). We walked on the pier with the fishermen and their dead fish catches all over the place. A creepy ending to our visit, but still fun!  It was a BLAST having her visit, but I was exhausted! I can't even remember what we talked and laughed about, but we barely took a breath from the time she arrived until she left.  Her husband Pete was a peach too! He took care of four of the five kids (one of which is only 4) and held down his practice while his partner (Dr. Dan Egan - another friend from high school) is down volunteering in Haiti. 
I freaked out a little before she came because I wanted everything to be perfect, but as soon as she got here, it was like always. She's my friend no matter what my house, kids, or butt looks like - or doesn't look like.  There is nothing like the gift of having a friend that has known your history since you were 8 yrs. old and will probably know your history forever. Girlfriends are essential - Best girlfriends are eternal!