To: Kylee, Maddi, Jaclyn and Rachel

As another year comes to an end, I always like to reflect on my year. This year was crazy. The first half of the year I was living the dream in San Diego, and now I am living the good life back at home in North Dakota. One thing that sticks out to me about this year is my best friends. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for truly being the best part of me. The four of us have been best friends since the summer before junior year of high school, and have been inseparable ever since. We have had our ups and downs, but we have stuck together like glue through it all.

At the beginning of the year, I would go a couple months without seeing you girls due to the fact we were 2000 miles apart. We decided we would facetime at least once a week, but life got in the way and it ended up being once the entire semester. Although we would update each other over text about our crazy lives, it wasn’t the same as being face to face. Thank goodness our bond is so strong, because most friendships wouldn’t thrive as much as ours did despite the fact we rarely communicated.

Then, by summer, a couple of us swapped places. I came home and Jaclyn left. We once again didn’t have much time with all five of us together. Every time, it amazes me that the five of us can so easily pick up right where we left off. It is like we never were apart to begin with. We have a one-of-a-kind friendship.

I love the wintertime because that means all of us get to be together again. It is most fun when the five of us are together. Even though half of the time we talk over each other, and never even get to hear all of the things that everyone is saying due to the excitement of being together again.

I want to thank you for accepting me for who I am. Thank you for always supporting me. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for laughing at my lame sense of humor. Thank you for accepting my love for food. Thank you for accepting my love for nearly every cute male character in the TV shows we watch. Most of all, thank you for being you. You all remind me each and every day that life is great and to follow my heart. I hope that as we grow old we cherish each other more and more every day, and keep reminding each other to shoot for the stars.

Although I said this year you all stuck out to me, what I really mean is every year. You have everything a girl needs, and more, in her best friends. I can’t thank you enough for everything you do for me.

Life is good, but it's even better with friends like you by my side.

Thanks, again, for being the best part of me.

Love you to the moon and back,

Lauren

One last thing:

Once in a lifetime we are 18. Thank goodness we were home and able to spend our 18^th year together. At the end of the day, we get to look at the history of our friendship and realize it will last for infinity. The story of my life consists of many midnight memories with you five. Right now we really have something great, better than words can even describe. We just have to live while we’re young and count the little things in life, because those are the best memories to keep. I would love to stay up all night and talk about how alive and perfect life is with my best friends by my side. We have no control over who walks into our lives, but we do have control over who we want to stick around. I am so thankful you all have and always will.