It has taken me a while to write about Heather, because I have yet to accept that she is truly gone. I can't believe it; I don't want to believe it.

To know that I will never hear her voice again, that I will never be greeted by her smile or feel her kind presence whenever she entered a room, is too painful to imagine.

I first began caring for Heather's children when Cooper was a few months old. Heather and I immediately clicked. Being a fellow perfectionist, I knew what she expected and oftentimes my extra effort was acknowledged with hugs and thoughtful emails that I now cherish. Overtime, as the children grew so did my friendship with Heather. I admired her as a mother and respected her as a friend; I often looked to her for advice, big or small, I always valued her opinion.

I never got the chance to tell Heather what an inspiration she has been in my life. She will always be the woman I strive to be like. All of her hard work and dedication she had for being a stay-at-home mom will never go unnoticed. Heather took such care when it came to the development of Grace and Cooper, she made sure they were always learning and having fun. Someone used the term "Super Mom", I think that is a perfect fit for Heather : )

She was also a fantastic cook and enjoyed putting together new and delicious meals. I always loved the yummy dishes she prepared; We joked that Cooper's palette is so refined, he's the only two-year-old I know that prefers BBQ ribs over chicken nuggets.

Looking back, my time spent with Heather seems all too brief. The years went by too fast, and now all I have are the memories, which even in sadness, still bring a smile to my face.  -One of my favorites being the time Grace and Heather were singing and dancing together in the family room, I was just a spectator when Heather danced over to me and we all laughed and sang together.-

She was a beautiful woman, inside and out. She always looked gorgeous, whether going out for a night on the town or early in the morning going out for a run. Her personality was one-of-a-kind. Like so many others have noted, it was the attention to details that made Heather an unforgettable friend. She always made sure that you could feel her love.

I know that I will never be able to recover from the tragic loss, and my heart will always ache for Heather. -Whenever I take Grace and Coop to the park, they collect wishes and blow real hard and tell me they wish "for mommy to come back"- and I wish for the same. That it could only be that simple. 

Neesha Ford