Hey sweethearts. Some of you I have known since since you were born, some since elementary school, some of you I met in our final years of high school, and some of you I met somewhere along the journey between. Some of us talk everyday and some of you I haven't hung out with in such a long time. But regardless of how long I’ve known you or how often we talk, I love all of you and am so grateful for the roles you've played in my life.

We played with Barbies and discovered the magic of Harry Potter together. We talked each other through first crushes and the insecurity of getting braces, glasses, and bad haircuts. You came and stayed with me after I had surgery, you held me while I cried after my first heartbreak, and you made me laugh in the classes we hated everyday. We spent so many nights talking about God, beauty, family, love, and pain. You cheered for me at track meets and trusted me with your secrets. From birthday parties, to sleepovers, to youth group trips, to graduation you where there. You brought me to your Bible study, you let me barge into your house without knocking, and you starting calling my parents you other mom and dad. We've gotten soaked to the bone at concerts and have run so many miles we wanted to die together. You cooked with me, pranked me, pranked other people with me, gave the best fashion advice, and always answered your phone when I called. We’ve dreamed about our futures and cried over and laughed at our pasts.

Thank you being there. Thank you for trusting me with the most vulnerable parts of yourself and for protecting my vulnerabilities. For praying for me and for binge eating ice and potato chips and then complaining about how unhealthy we were together. Thank you for helping me interpret cryptic texts and create the perfect responses. For interpreting when I butchered Spanish in Costa Rica, for making sorting through those those gross strawberries slightly more enjoyable, and for spending so long putting my hair in cornrows only for me to decide that gingers look bad in cornrows and take out all of your hard work. Thank you for supporting me when I battled depression in junior high. For passing notes with me in class when we finished before everyone else, for sharing the art you created with me, for humoring my endless need to take pictures of us. Thank you for forcing me to break outside of my shell and for helping me find excitement in living.

We are more than best friends. We are sisters. Two of you biologically and the rest of you sisters by love.

And now we are moving on with our lives. We’re going to be hours away from each other as we begin to create our futures and find ourselves. Good luck. I love you all. There are friendships in this world that last a lifetime, and these are those friendships. So whether we FaceTime every night through college, or just meet up on school breaks, I want to keep this sisterhood. Words can’t express my love for you, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for you. Though time and distance may separate us, my heart is with you and I’m only a phone call away.