Lulu- A first real friend is someone you will never forget. Remembering the days I disliked you feels like a blur. I can’t believe there was a time when you were in my mind as someone to hate. Now, after being friends for four years, I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You always make me smile. You bring joy to my life, even when I am feeling down. Your laugh is contagious. I never go more than five minutes without laughing because you are one of the funniest, most relatable people I have ever met. You are so beautiful in so many different ways. My favorite thing about you is how you are far from a basic girl; you are your own person who does what you love, and there’s no one else in the world who compares to you. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend. Thank you for that.

Mia- Your sweet smile and laugh are something I will always be able to imagine in my head. If someone asked me if I knew someone perfect, your name would come to my mind immediately. You are always so caring and kind, making sure everyone is doing okay and feels included. You never talk badly or down to people. You are truly my mentor in life. I look to you when I am trying to do the right thing. I admire you in every way. Your positivity is truly impressive and creates a super healthy atmosphere throughout the hardships of growing up. You are a very tough person and will always stick up for yourself and others through your kind, wise, simple words. I loved doing driver’s training with you; you were hands down the best part of it. Keep being yourself because you are perfect. I hope we stay friends forever!

Natalie- This year, I can see our friendship growing stronger, and it makes me so happy. I am so proud of you. I can see your confidence growing in who you are, which you are so stunning, and you should know that every day. You are what I like to call sleeper funny; you come up with some of the funniest, random comments that always make me smile. I love having lunch with you, even though our table is really lonely; it’s a huge plus that you are there with me. 

Gabbi- Hands down, you are the nicest most sweetest girl I have ever met. You are such an amazing person, and you show up to school looking so stunning every single day. I love your silly ways of making me laugh. You have the sweetest, prettiest smile I have ever seen. I loved working at the concessions with you. I am so happy you have joined Anthem. Thank you so much for being just an all-around positive influence in my life. I hope our friendship keeps growing into something so amazing!

Brooke- You are so dang smart, and I’m jealous of you every single day for that. How much effort you put in is unbelievable. I know for a fact that you are going to graduate from college and be extremely successful in whatever your heart decides to pursue. I love all of your cute outfits that you wear every day. I love how organized and neat you are. I would love to be able to mirror so many of the things you do and accomplish. I will never forget how helpful your tutoring is and how much you have helped me in Writing for Publication and all of the papers you have edited. You are so beautiful. I am so glad you moved to Michigan!

Cate- I am so thankful to have you in my life. You are an amazing friend. You are so fun to be around and add a touch of adventure to my life that I so badly need. Following rules is a good thing; however, breaking out of my comfort zone is beneficial for me, and you can easily get me to do that. You have the funniest comments in every situation, and you always make me laugh. You are so pretty in every way. I ask that you keep sharing your bright light of fun and adventure for all to experience. I miss seeing you every day.

Addy- You are like the sister I always wished I had. I am very thankful for all your rides, especially to school, so I didn’t have to walk in the cold. My favorite is when it’s a sunny summer day, we have the windows rolled down, and we are blasting music as we are going on a target run. I love hearing about your Sims characters and how crazy their lives have turned out. I am so thankful for all the small things you do for me. You have truly helped me in so many more ways than you can imagine. You are so fun to be around and truly one of the prettiest girls. I love all your sweet, quirky outfits and hairstyles. I hope college doesn’t take you too far from me.

Jack- The months with you have been short; however, it feels like a lifetime since I have known you. I enjoy every moment I get with you. When I am feeling sad or lonely, you’re the person I turn to; you immediately help me forget the things I overthink about myself and who I am. Every time I talk to you, I forget about all my problems and worries. You are my safe space in a world of chaos. You’re my best friend in a way that everyone would dream of. I am very thankful for your parents, as they have raised a person who is very outgoing and loving to all, and is not caught up in things that most people find themselves caught up in. Every day you help me become a better person, you are a huge positive influence in my life. I admire your smarts and your secret creativity. I’m eager to see where our relationship takes us.

Mom- No mom out there is even close to parenting perfectly; however, I feel as though you have almost crossed that perfect line. I love the way you show you care through things like keeping the food I eat healthy and teaching the correct ways to treat your body, and even though it’s really annoying I love that you care enough to put boundaries on my phone and limit me from too much social media; it helps keep my mind protected and less dependent on things that aren’t needed. I love those small occasions when you say yes to a treat and want to go shopping with me for things like makeup and clothes. I love that you are always willing to give the rides I need when I ask, and I love that I feel as though I could tell everything and that it’s a safe space. I also admire that you don’t keep secrets from me, so I know that the words you speak can always be trusted, and I won’t be lied to. I love how relatable you are and always give some of the wisest advice I need when I am struggling. You make it easy to understand what I do, and you are so easy to tell my feelings. I love it when I text you saying I’m anxious, and you always know what to say. I will most likely text when I’m nervous until the day I can’t anymore. When I grow up to be a parent, I dream of being just like you.

Dad-  You are such an amazing role model to have in my life. Your story isn’t always shared with people, but I find it powerful and inspiring. I see how brave you are for all the things you have overcome and gone through, and you ultimately have risen on top. I am so thankful that you are easy to talk to, and you give me a safe place to share all my feelings and thoughts. I love it when we find our minds think alike, especially when we are playing Pictionary, and I can guess the picture you drew correctly while everyone else has a confused look on their face. You are so funny, and it always brightens my day, especially when times are stressful; it makes home feel even more comfortable and happy. In every lifetime, I would choose for you to be my dad.

Aaron- I would never ask for a different brother through all the little sibling squabbles and fights, you are easily one of my best friends. You are so funny in your weird little ways. I love our late-night yap sessions where all the tea is spilled. Even though I don’t always open up fully to you, I will always be here for you if you need help or someone to talk to. I hope I can always be a safe person for you. I enjoy watching you play hockey, and I get so excited and feel so proud when I see you pull a cool move. The sadness it brings me is unreal when I think about the fact that I only have two more years to be fully present in your life, watching you grow and become a confident person. I am so proud of you, as you have learned to overcome and shut out all the mean things people have said to you. You have grown so much and made so many friends. Your popularity is growing not because you are cool and fit in, but because you are different and fun to be around, and just generally have a kind soul

Winnie- Though it’s true, I didn’t want you to be a real thing. When mom said she was pregnant, it angered me, and when you were born, I didn’t want to see that you were my new reality. I didn’t like the attention taken off of me, and our age gap was so different that we wouldn’t be able to communicate more sincerely. Even though I catch you taking my things daily and asking for any kind of makeup from my room, you are an amazing sister, and the family would never be complete without you. You are very witty and have a bright personality. You bring adventure and craziness to all our lives. All you want to do is run wild and play silly games, which I wish I had spent more time with you at a younger age, instead of hoping that the day would come when we could actually talk. I feel I missed a lot of important bonding times and memories with you. At such a young age, you are so pretty, and you’re only going to gain more beauty as life goes on. I am jealous of your modelous looks and all your friends you have collected, though I spend time judging you, I am secretly truly proud of who you are. I am excited to see who you grow up to be.

Grandma Joe and Papa Bill – In simple words, you are the best grandparents  I could ever ask for. You always give me good, wise advice that helps me through more situations than you could imagine. I love going to Clayton. I get so excited every year. The family we have is so special, and the memories will never be forgotten. I love your cute little house that you guys put so much emotion and effort into, and it’s something that manages to fit us all perfectly. Grandma Joe, I love how you can always bring my relationship with God closer. I love so deeply all your meaningful messages you send, and when you know I am struggling, you always give me heartfelt advice that is more helpful than you could ever imagine. Papa Bill, you are so funny and bring so much joy to our family get-togethers. I love all the jokes that you bring up every time we see you. I will never forget any of them.