Blood isn't always thicker than water, sometimes the family we choose are the most pivotal, loyal, and loving people in our lives. To choose our family, is to voluntarily and whole-heartedly welcome and love a stranger, soon to be family.

To the sister I chose,

You came into my life just about four years ago, and the past four years I have been the luckiest little sister in the entire world. You did not have to love me like you did, you did not have to fill the role I always wanted (and needed), but you did. From the day I met you, you have been more than my "brother's girlfriend" (now wife!!), you became a friend, and more importantly, you became a sister.

Even though neither of us had too much experience with being sisters, we managed to figure it out and along the way became best friends. From our movie days to lunch dates to gossip sessions and lots of online shopping, I have never felt more loved and supported by anyone than all of the love and support you have offered. Thank you for introducing me to and starting my love of scary movies and for that time you scared me so bad and I screamed in the movie theater. Thank you for sitting with me and crying over sappy Nicholas Sparks movies and Lifetime movies. Thank you for letting me sit on your bed and rant about the stupid drama and crazy adventures taking place, an even bigger thank you for actually listening (I know I'm probably over dramatic). Thank you for sending all the cute things you found off Pinterest and finally being a person who could online shopping more than me.

This list of thank you's could go on forever and ever, my gratitude for you is inexplicable, however, thank you for the most important lesson I have ever learned: family is who you choose. Thank you for choosing me, for coming into my life and never looking back. You mean more to me than I could ever express and I love you more than you could ever know. You came into my life and immediately became everything I ever imagined a sister could be, someone to share clothes with, gossip with, survive family gatherings with, and a life long friend.

So thank you for being you, for being a best friend, for being a sister and for filling my heart and life with more happiness, joy, and love than I ever could have imagined. You are an inspiration of strength, love, and family and I hope for nothing more than to be as amazing, as strong, and as loving as you. I could not be luckier to have been blessed with the best sister ever, even though we didn't start out together at birth, I know we will be sisters forever.

Love always,

The luckiest sister in the world

Always remember, family is who is there for you through good and bad and love you no matter what, not necessarily who you share your DNA with, so embrace the love and find your forever family.