From day one of preschool to causing chaos at Seussical the Musical rehearsals in elementary school, re-creating kindergarten graduation pictures in our high school graduation gowns to 21st birthdays and now weddings, Nina will forever be one of the biggest blessings in my life. I am so beyond happy for her and Kyle to start their life together and cant wait for the many more shenanigans we can get into all together. All my love to the happy couple!

Thinking of a favorite memory with Nina is pretty much impossible since we have so many! From always being each other’s dates to our sorority dances, to studying together almost every day in nursing school, to me crashing every ROTC event as Nina’s guest, our time in college was spent by each others side always. And after college we have managed to stay in touch and travel to see each other as often as we can. One memory that sticks out is when Nina Rachel and I went to LA together. It was the first time we got together since graduation from Creighton. We accidentally took an hour long uber to the wrong location but spent the whole ride laughing so hard our stomachs hurt. The uber driver kept making comments about how he had never seen a group of girls laugh so hard, especially sober. Even though we hadn’t seen each other in months it was like no time had passed the second we saw each other again. It’s rare to find someone one you can spend countless hours with and never get sick of. It’s also rare to find someone you can reconnect with after months apart and feel just as close to them. I am so lucky to have both experiences with Nina. While I wish we were still spending every moment together I cherish the times we still make our busy schedules work even from states apart. Having Nina in my life is a true honor and joy.

Favorite memory: Having been Nina’s friend for over a decade, I have so many memorable moments that it’s hard to choose a favorite. From character building track meets to girl’s trips, we’ve been through it all. However, if I had to narrow my favorite moments with Nina down to one memory, it would have to be our late night trips to Rizuto’s ice cream shop in Colorado Springs. This is “our spot” where we would plan our summers, update each other about our lives, and debrief on the most pressing events of our lives. I love this memory because it sums up so many aspects of Nina as a person and our friendship: no matter how much time has passed since the last time I saw Nina, I can always count on Nina to be there for me, to listen, to be absolutely hilarious, to give it to me straight, and to be a great best friend.