Here's to you Miss Shelton.

It is impossible to describe or define a lifelong friendship in just words or pictures or even one or two emotions. Friendship by definition is the state of being friends, one who is attached to another by affection or esteem. To me friendship is so much more than just a few words that Webster can define, friendship is precious, true friendship rare, and no one definition can explain all that is wrapped up in just that one word.

I had the luck of being given my best friend on a silver platter before the day I was even born. Kristen Nicole Shelton was born on April 7, 1983. I was born on July 21, 1983. Our parents were best friends, and that is how we met. Before either of us were even thought of we were already meant to be friends. For the past 22 years and 5 months I have had the privilege and luck of having my best friend within a 30 minute radius of me almost at all times. From the time when we were little and wearing matching fish bikini's, to the years of awkwardness and brace wearing until now when in a week and 3 days she is going to be wearing a Purdue cap & gown -- this next year is going to be the first time we have ever been truly apart. Like every friendship ours has gone through the good times and bad and at the worst times even the ugly, but we have made it 22 years & still manage to know & understand each other better than at times even we can ourselves.

When we were little Kristen & I used to hide things such as shoes or a mitten so one of us couldn't leave the other's house when our mom came to get us. When we were angry at one and other we would sit on either side of a closed bedroom door and pass notes underneath. We used to beg for sleepovers & on occasion even called in oldies 104.3 to request "Pretty Woman." We would spend New Years together eating ice cream from those little cups with the lids & the wooden spoons. In highschool we weren't as close in the beginning, (I will contribute this to the fact that I thought dog collars and black nail polish were cool and she did not) however, we were still friends. Towards and during our senior year we attended dances in the same group as well as parties and other such events. The day I got accepted to Purdue from Saint Joe's, Kristen was the one not only celebrating with me but getting arrested with me the same night as well. This is where the saying, "A good friend will bail you out a jail, a best friend will be sitting next to you saying that was awesome," really does apply. Although we never went to jail, I wouldn't have rather been through that with anyone else. Throughout these past 3 1/2 years our friendship has endured some of it's hardest trials yet. This was the kind of fighting that simply writing a note & sliding it under a door wouldn't fix. Low & behold we have survived relatively unscathed & more-so than not in tact.

While we have had our outs these past few years we have had some of our best times as well. Dancing on poles at Skulls and upsidedown margaritas, "re-arranging" our hole in Meredith or at least attempting to, joining the same sorority, dances that we honestly can't remember too much of, her 21st (also #1 of my 2, 21st birthdays, or so I thought that night,) my 21st, lifetime movie days, frat parties, Chris & Jake (ok we'll throw in Tator too) parties, driving around listening to Eminem, sleepovers at apt. 26, many, many nights at the bars & many afternoons that turned into nights at Stacks ---- All of which lead us back to her leaving.

It's not as simple as when we were young, I can't hide her shoe because she can leave without that & stealing her car would work however it would be considered rather unreasonable, even if I promise to tell the judge it was just because I couldn't deal with her leaving, I don't think it will fly. She is leaving, but at the same time moving onto another chapter of her life that is going to be so amazing and fulfilling, she is finished with college & I don't think she realizes how proud that makes everyone around her. My best friend did it! She is a nurse & I know that if I am ever sick, there is no one aside from my own mom I would rather take care of me. She is a great nurse, a great friend and a wonderful woman overall and I have been so blessed to have her in my life. I know that in the countless years to come she will continue to be the amazing woman that she has become & I can only hope that I am 1/2 of the strong person that she is.

So here's to you Miss Kristen Shelton, here's to graduation, here's to the future & all that is has to offer you. Here's to my best friend, thank you for all that you do for me. I love you, Congratulations & I really am going to miss you like hell.