9th Day of Christmas - Candise

Introducing...Candise
I met Candise at a Tolman family reunion in 2003. We're not related, but her husband's brother married Josh's cousin Shanda. The reunion was in Salmon that year, and Candise and her husband had just moved here. When Shanda and her sisters came to town, they convinced her to come out to the reunion with them. I'm SO glad she did! After introductions were made, we talked for several hours. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

I was pregnant with the twins that year, and by the end of the summer, I was going to bi-weekly doctor appointments in Idaho Falls. Josh usually went with me once a week, but because he is so busy in the summertime, I always had somebody else go with me the other time. Candise came with me a few times, and I enjoyed her companshionship in the car for the 5-hour round trip and at the Dr.'s office. I almost always had ultrasounds by that point because the twins' umbilical cords were tied in knots, and the technician had to check the blood flow that each twin was receiving. Candise was so sweet to wait by my side and help me through it.

After the twins were born, she helped me so much. She was willing to babysit for me on occasion so that I could have some much-needed time out. She was a fun girlfriend! Josh and I went on a few double dates with her and her hubby, and occasionally Candise and I went to lunch and chatted. I loved our heart-to-heart conversations. She always listened to me, she always supported me, she always cared about me and my family.

Candise is so gifted and I look up to her in so many ways. She is a stellar teacher! She is so much fun and so creative and so organized, and her students love her too! She is a great pianist, and Ammon was lucky to have her as his piano teacher before they moved away. She makes friends wherever she goes; she is amiable and thoughtful and super nice. She is congenial and charitable and often gives so much of herself and her time to others. She has a positive attitude and is the most understanding person I've ever met. She has a great laugh, a beautiful smile, and is so photogenic! She has gone through some difficult times, but always meets challenges with optimism. She is an inspiration to me! She has a great little family, and she is such a loving mother and wife. She understands the divine purpose of motherhood and she values it more than anything. I want to be the kind of mother to my children that she is.

Before they moved, I went over a few times to help her pack. Man, she was SO organized! She was prepared with all the packaging materials and had a system in place. I was impressed! One day we worked on packing up clothes, and she wanted me to try on a whole bunch of clothes she didn't wear anymore. She gave me some dresses and shirts and the best jeans ever! I went over to help her, but ended up getting the bigger reward for sure! Candise is such a remarkable person, and I've missed her!!!

I love Candise! Her friendship has really strengthened me, and I am definitely a better person for having her as a part of my life!