For my sister, Shawna I love both of my sisters, Shawna and Crystal. They are two of my best friends and I love them dearly. I know I don’t tell them enough how much I adore them. I have still lived with Shawna longer than anyone else in my life. We shared a bedroom from the time she was born until I was a senior in high school. Roughly 15 years. She has been my best friend, my confidante, and a wonderful role model throughout my life. As kids, we played so many games together. We had the same Barbies, we both had cabbage patch dolls, we played so many make believe games, and would often sing and dance to music in our bedroom together. We were inseparable as teenagers. I can’t remember too often the times when I would go to events and she wouldn’t be there. My friends called her “little dawn”, which she claimed to hate, but I think she secretly liked it. haha I loved having her around. I can’t ever remember feeling like she was infringing on my space, as older siblings tend to. Then there were all those times we would "hide" in our room, talking about life, boys, and giggling as teenage girls tend to do. We would fight as sisters did, but we always worked it out together. Our discussions would sometimes be silly, but other times be deep and serious. She would give advice and listen, I didn't always agree, but loved sharing everything with her even if she didn't. I don't know how I could have ever survived my teenage years with out her. As adults, we have taken different routes, but my sister has never judged me or made me feel like my choices made me a bad person even if she disagreed with them. She is the most honest friend I have, which I appreciate. I prefer honest friends. She never holds back and I always know what she is thinking and feeling. I admire her for the strength she has to be that kind of person for it truly takes a strong person to be able to speak their feelings honestly. She set a standard for other friends. Now we are grown, with our own children. We have our own day-to-day struggles, and we have led very different adult lives. But she is always there when I need her, even if I have not always reached out to her. Some days I am sad that we aren’t as close as we were as kids. But, then we get together and it is as if we were never apart. I realize that we are bonded in a way that cannot be broken even if we aren’t together for a long period of time. Because of that bond, we will always be close. Shawna, I love you. Thank you for being my closest, long-time dearest friend. I appreciate your example of courage and strength. I love you for who you are, for your honesty, sense of humor, sarcasm, and acceptance of our differences. I look forward to many more years of fun and friendship!