"To define a tomboy requires searching far beyond the simple notion of wearing boys' clothing. Tomboys have influenced the expanses of popular culture including fashion, film, music and literature. And although the tomboy is often identified by clothing, what makes her wholly so is an inherent sense of confidence, rebelliousness and adventure."

You embraced dirt, wore baggy T-shirts, ran with the boys, you were never caught dead in pink and sparkles, and you wouldn't want it any other way. You didn't always brush your hair or wipe the mud off your cheeks, but you always had the best stories. You lived in a ball cap, worshipped your brother and never understood the importance of a clean outfit. We would throw a fit if Momma tried to force us in a dress for Easter, poor Mom.

For Halloween, your last choices were princesses and fairies; you preferred superheroes, witches, army men or anything with a little fake blood and some dirt. Your mother would always tell you how pretty you'd look in the jean skirt that would fold to your knees, but you always chose the board shorts or skinny jeans. Your shoes were a topic in itself. Hand over the DCs or the Vans, and please keep your sandals and bedazzled gym shoes.

You were carefree; you were wild in your own; you valued the meaning of free spirited. You could get down and dirty with the best of 'em, and that's why you smiled the biggest, cheered the loudest and loved the hardest.

Growing up a tomboy taught you some major life lessons. You're easy going and enjoy the simple things in life. You don't focus on owning the newest brand of shirts or the best monogrammed signs, but rather favor the newest food item or the newest activity you can't wait to start.

You would ride your bikes around the block with the guys, showing off your no hands talent and looking pretty great doing it. You were the girl who would kick butt at kickball during recess, whom all the guys wanted on their team. You were boss at dodgeball, and you took sports more serious than anyone. Rules? What are rules? We'd laugh when our parents would give us rules. Not because we were disrespectful but because we were rebellious, we wanted to try anything that scared us. We wanted to look our fears head on, and take them on.

Remember building things with your siblings? If it were a go-cart or a tower, or even something made out of wood? Remember the rollerblade hockey games, or the 2V2 basketball games, or throwing the football around with your dad? Speaking of fathers, your dad was your best friend; you literally wanted to be just like him. It was him you wanted at your sporting events, and it was him you wanted to throw the softball or kick the soccer ball around with. You're a daddy's girl, and you're damn proud of it.

To the girl who grew up a tomboy, don't let the new fads and life change you. Always stay true to the little girl who wore the cargo pants that unzipped at the knee and was proud of the dirt under her fingernails. Don't ever let that girl go, because she's you. She's your childhood; she's the one who got you into the most trouble but who always had the best laughs. Being a tomboy made you who you are and will always be. We may have not gotten the boyfriend first, but we definitely had all the guy friends the girls would drool over. Don't lose the confidence you have always had with yourself, don't lose your sense of adventure to try new things and to do things you never thought you could.

So cheers. Cheers to the tomboy girls who grew up to value the small things, love life hard and who always takes chances. The world needs more of us.

"Salute to the girls who grew up playing in dirt, who ran outside barefoot and weren't afraid of themselves."