you know you have the bestest friends when they know the real you and still love you.

{senior trip: on the plane flight to Hawaii}

Toward the end of Glee episode "Hold On to Sixteen", Quinn makes this speech about how growing up is about losing things. And one of the things that she hopes she never loses are her high school friends. "Whether we're 27, or 87, I want us to look back on these last few months and talk about how they were the best times of our lives."

I got the privilege of having the best high school friends a girl could want.

It never matters how long it's been since we last talked or how many miles we've traversed since our last get-together. When we see each other or start up a conversation via Facebook, it's with the same comfortable familiarity we had when we saw each other every weekday for about seven hours a day.

{senior trip: on the beach}

I will always treasure the memories we made before we all headed off to college, but I must admit I'm definitely looking forward to the memories that are still to come.

Because there are a lot of celebratory major events that will most likely happen before we hit 87-years-old.

{besties: the number of laughs we've had over the years is ridiculous}

There's that quote that goes something like, "When we're old and senile, we'll just become new friends!"

That's totally us.

{spirit week, senior year: we've been through a lot together, this girl and I}

Sometimes I wish we could have our senior year back again. Not because I'm not grateful for all the friends I've made in college, but because things felt so much simpler then.

We thought we were stressed-- all the homework and AP tests, SATs and SAT IIs {ick}, college apps and last goodbyes. But looking back, that was nothing compared to the realization that we're heading into our senior year of college.

That means finding a job, people. And paying rent. And learning to pay taxes. And all that wonderfulness.

Good grief.

{Debrr, however, has already done all of that and then some. Girl's crazy. I think the only state this girl hasn't gone to for a conference or internship is Wyoming. Cause no one goes to Wyoming}.

{up the down staircase, matinee performance: two of the best guy friends anyone could ask for}

You know you have the bestest friends when you can send them a text out of the blue with something that would only make sense if they remember those inside jokes from way back when, and they text you back a few seconds later, reassuring you that yes, they found that hilarious, and yes, they totally understand why it's hilarious.

If that made any sense to anyone.

{up the down staircase, backstage: drama queens in their natural habitat}

I love my high school friends and I'm so glad they're mine.

After all, a person is shaped by those around them. So if all my friends are amazing and wonderful and hilarious {if slightly nerdy}, doesn't that mean I am, too? *grins*

<3