A dear friend..

Meet My Friend Hailey!!

This girl is beyond amazing, and our story is an awesome one.

Hailey was one of my best friends in kindergarten and first grade. She had a killer sandbox in her backyard that I loved with a passion. Hailey's family moved to Idaho half way through our first grade year and I never heard from her again. 

Honestly how are first graders supposed to keep in contact?

Here we are, in kindergarten OBVIOUSLY being super awesome with some of our old friends. I'm on the far left in the sweet dino shirt, and Hailey is next to me rockin' the stripes and the bow in her hair!!

Now, Fast forward approximately 16 years later as I'm browsing through my favorite iphone app Instagram. I'm photo stalking some friends and day after day I see photos "liked" by someone with the username haileyr.

Curious, I click on the link and realize I have just come in contact with my long lost friend Hailey! I was SO EXCITED! We started following each other's pictures and quickly exchanged emails. We emailed DAILY back and forth and I really got to know Hailey better and learn about her life and the things she's been through.

Hailey's story is absolutely amazing, and I came to realize we have more in common than I ever could have imagined. I feel like we came in contact in the perfect moment to be a support system for one another.

I sent Hailey a wedding invitation and she DROVE down for our reception from IDAHO with her sweet mother and headed back to Idaho that same night. This was the first time I've seen her since 1st grade. I almost peed my pants when she walked through the door at the reception!

Hailey you'll never know how much that meant to me, and how much I just love you! For Hailey to see my genuine happiness from the events of the day meant a lot to me. I cheer for her everyday to have the same happiness. I am extremely proud of this woman and I'm so proud to be her friend.

On the other hand, I'm pretty pissed I didn't think to get a picture of the two of us together at the reception. I guess we'll just have to get together soon and take a whole album of pictures to make up for lost time!

Hailey's blog is full of inspiration and happiness, and I'm a total blog stalker!

Hailey I love you to death

&

I'm so happy we are friends

xoxo