My Best Friend's Birthday

It's my best friend's birthday this weekend. Not to be confused with My Best Friend's Wedding, which is one of my favorite weddings of all time. On that note, I am reminded of how important it is to tell your friends how much you love them...how much you need them...and how much you value your memories together.

Toni as my wedding date at the Frey wedding.

One of my favorite pictures of us...ever.

Proudly standing beside me on one of the biggest / best days of my life.

We fall down together and get back up together. That's just what best friends do.

Halloween 2006. We are babies.

Typical.

We would never miss a photo opp.

Who knows?

Toni's 21st bday with the girls! :)

My 21st bday! :)

This picture sums up Toni.

And this picture sums up our adventures living together.

Toni and I have been through so much together.

First loves.

First roomates.

First fights.

First drinks.

First roadtrips.

First heartbreaks.

First year at college.

We - like all friends- went through a tough time. But without fail, we survived our first fall out too.

She is a beautiful and inspiring person. Right now, she is going to school for nursing and wants to move away when she is done. It absolutely breaks my heart. And I realize how important it is to spend every moment I can with her...before she is states away. But she has promised that she will go to my birthing classes with me when I am preggers one day...even if she is there via Skype. Yes, she is that close to me that I would let her be my birthing coach. Justin did not object, although I know he will come too! :)

I remember laying in bed one night in the dorms at Ball State. The lights were out - but like sisters sharing the same room - we stayed up all night talking and laughing.

She told me that if something ever happened to me...she would get a tattoo of me...on her back so I always have her back. It makes me smile thinking of that memory and those nights...and I never ever for one minute doubted if she would get that tattoo...Heck, she still might.

She is my sister from another mister. She is a blessing in my life. And it's safe to say, she has shaped my life and made me a better person. I wouldn't trade our memories, stores and adventures together for anything in the world.

And the biggest lesson from our friendship? Never give up on someone. Love them and support them...pick them up when they fall down and never forget how important time is...you can never give enough of it to someone you love.

Much love,
Ashley