AMAZING friends!

So I often feel bad for people I know that don't go to church. This isn't one of those self-righteous "I'm better than they are because I have religion" things- I don't think that way anyway.
I'm so thankful for the church and all of the opportunities it gives me to make such wonderful friends! I naturally like people but at the same time I'm incredibly shy which is something I constantly work to overcome (in fact, I think I do a pretty good job at it!).
On Monday, two of my good friends from church threw me a baby shower and it was great! I was so nervous- what if no one came? and worse- what if people did come? could I handle the attention? I had similar feelings about our wedding reception but you know what? It turned out a lot like our wedding reception. Lots of people showed up and they all brought the most adorable things for Pearl (who made out like a bandit- thank you all!) and we had fun and played fun games but at the same time everyone seemed really content to visit with each other which meant that there wasn't any awkward spotlight kinda moments. I don't really understand why I love to watch people visiting with each other in earnest. I think it's so fabulous to see women talking with other women and then talking to different women and just enjoying all the company. I've never found something outside of the church to compare to it- no book group, no knitting gathering- nothing.
I'm thankful for friends that get together with us weekly to practice having FHE- it's so much fun to visit and have a spiritual message without things being too stuffy and formal (something I felt the sporadic FHE's I had growing up were like). I'm thankful for friends who listen to my endless questions about cloth diapers and "how does this work" etc and all of my "this person (there is only one person who I rant about and don't worry, it isn't you) is driving me nuts and I don't know what to do about it!" rants. I'm thankful for friends who call me to tell me that Old Navy is having a sale and if I want I can also use their husband's military ID for an extra 30% off and then come with me and hold my hand while I clumsily pick out baby clothes. I'm thankful that I feel comfortable at church. I'm thankful that I have friends who make me into a better friend which is definitely something that is foreign to me. I'm thankful for friends who know a ton about the gospel and that I can ask questions of without feeling like an idiot who should know the answer already (well, who don't make me feel like an idiot- that's my own doing).
So yes, I know the purpose of the Church isn't for us to come and just be social but the more I interact with members the more I value the organization of it all. We're there to learn but we also get to learn from and teach each other. I'm so glad for this perfect plan!