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Class of 2018

 I can hardly believe my youngest little sister is graduating. I pretty vividly remember the day Abby was born. It was my first week of second grade, and I remember walking into my classroom and yelling to my teacher at the top of my lungs, "MY MOM IS HAVING A BABY!" I loved school, but on this particular day I could hardly wait for it to be over so that I could go to the hospital and meet my newest little sister. I probably would have leapt off the school bus while it was still moving if the bus driver would have let me. 

Our seven year age gap has given me the chance to really watch Abby grow up. She has always had a feisty personality from the time she was little, and she's never been afraid to stand up for herself or fight for what she wants. I remember one time when she was probably 6 or 7, Amy and I were babysitting her while my mom was somewhere with Jenn. She wasn't behaving, so we decided that since we were in charge we needed to give her a time out. She refused to stay in her room, so we had the bright idea to grab a jump rope from the garage and tie one end to Abby's door and the other end to the closet across the hall. This way, she couldn't escape and would have some time to really think about what she had done, whatever it was. Either it was something really awful, or Amy and I were just terrible babysitters. She yanked on that door SO hard, we thought the doorknob was going to break off. We quickly clued in to the fact that we would be the ones in trouble if she broke the doorknob, so it didn't take long before we let her out. We learned a valuable lesson that day, NO ONE messes with Abby and gets away with it. 

I admire so many things about Abby, but one thing that stands out to me is how driven she is. She is a natural athlete, and was especially drawn to volleyball. The summer before her freshman year, she tried out for JV volleyball. She ended up not making it and being asked to play for the freshmen team. Naturally she was disappointed at first, but she turned her disappointment into an opportunity to thrive. She was quickly named the captain of the team by her teammates, and worked hard to improve. She improved so much that halfway through the season she was moved up to the JV team. She captained that team the next year, and then her Varsity team her senior year. Disappointments have never stopped Abby, and her determination carries her and will continue to carry her to incredible heights. 

Her best quality, in my opinion, is her caring heart. Once while I was visiting home, I got some devastating news. I remember crying on and off throughout the day because this news had really shaken me. Abby made me lunch, and then sat down in the basement with me and turned on our favorite show from when we were kids, "Hannah Montana," on Netflix because she thought it would make me laugh. She sat with me and watched the show all day long and was just there when I didn't really need someone to talk, I just needed someone to be there. I will never ever forget that, because to me it's a perfect example of who Abby is. 

Abs, I am so proud of the kind, hard-working, hilarious, driven, fun girl you have grown up to be. I know this milestone is just the beginning, and that you have a bright, incredible future ahead of you. I love you more than words can say! BYU-Hawaii here she comes! 
  

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