I remember being in elementary and learning how to spell the word friend.

If you Fri your Friend, that's the End.

That's what my teacher taught.

I have thought about the many things I am grateful for throughout the month of November. As I look back over my life there are a lot of people that I really love. I have met so many wonderful people in the past ten years and am grateful for what they have done for me and how their friendship has blessed my life. But I want to give a big shout out to the dear friends I grew up with, survived middle school with and partied through high school with.
You have a special place in my heart. 

We face so many tough things as teenagers and I personally believe that in these tender years, the people we call 'friends' have a greater affect on the path we take than almost anything else that surrounds us. They can tear us down or lift us up. And true friends, lift us up. I'm grateful for the true friends I was surrounded by and the different ways they each blessed my life. They helped me know who I was, accepted me for all that I wasn't and gave me strength when times got rough. I remember best friend necklaces and fights, sharing lockers and crushes, passing notes and sleepovers, basketball practice and games, trips to Lake Powell and Friday night football. All the projects and assemblies, early mornings and all-nighters and the many special experiences I'll always remember.

I look forward to the times I get to visit old friends and am grateful each day for the person they helped me become and the good memories we share.
Thank you for being my friend!
I love you all.