I’m blessed to be one of five kids, having two brothers and two sisters. My three older siblings are technically half-siblings, but its never felt like that. I have a relationship that is equally unique and special with each of my siblings, especially my older sister, Tiffany. We’ve always been close, but as I get older, I realize how special it is that she’s literally become my best friend and go-to gal, even if she’s halfway across the country.

A sister is like having a built in best friend. Everything I know about being a big sister I learned from Tiff. I’ve never met someone who is consistently such an example of love, acceptance, and understanding, or has a better sense of humor and sarcasm. She’s taught me how to be unapologetically myself and has supported me with her whole heart in everything I’ve ever done. She’s been able to believe in me even on the days when I’m not sure I could believe in myself. She stands for what she believes in and her strong sense of self is honestly inspiring.

As I try and navigate my way through growing up in this new chapter of my life, my sister has been one of my pillars on which to lean through anything. I can call any time of day, multiple times a day (and often do) and she will always make time for me, listen to everything I’m saying, and give me nothing but honesty in return. There is nothing I appreciate and look forward to more than our phone calls, rants, and daily texts about Gilmore Girls. When my dad stops and turns to me, saying, “You are SO your sister,” I couldn’t be more flattered that he also thinks we're practically twins. To take a line from our new favorite show, Gilmore Girls (which I’m so happy I lovingly coerced you into binge-watching), “As she guided me through these incredible eighteen years, I don’t know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her.”

You’ve never missed a milestone in my life, always making sure you’ve been in the crowd to cheer me on, and I don’t think you realize how much that means to me to look out into a crowd and see you there. It amazes me how little distance really means and how much closer we’ve become in spite of it. We’ve surely come a long way since the days when you were putting my Pull-Ups on backwards!

So to the woman who’s been sister, mother, best friend, confidant, on-call therapist, comedian, biggest fan, all of these things and more, this one’s for you. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met and I love you more than words can say.