Certain people stay close to your heart no matter what.

Today I went to a friend's funeral who I had known since I was very little. Melissa (pictured on the far right next to me - I am making some weird face as per usual) was my most awesome close friend when I was growing up. Whenever we would get to visit one another and even after a long two days of a sleepover, she and I would try to stall our parents' taking us back home when the sleepover was over...so she and I would hide and try to be as quiet as possible until we started giggling way too loudly and were found out. It was really easy to hide in various places at her house because it was a pretty good sized home...with lots of cubby holes to hide in. She was just one of those special friends that you didn't have to see all the time in order to feel like you were friends. She was a real friend and one that would stick up for you when someone was treating you unfairly. She loved music and loved having fun and making every person she was around laugh.

Melissa was only 31 years old and left behind her husband, three children, her sister, and her mom and dad. It was so hard to see her family today, but I am so glad that I was able to go to the funeral. She was definitely one friend I will always remember and I am grateful she was in my life, even if it was shorter than it should have been. Melissa's smile will always be in my memory and her family will always be in my thoughts and prayers.

I think Melissa and I were just reaching the age of being too cool for photos, plus, we were both eating and who wants a shot taken of them in the middle of eating a sammich? Haha.

I sure am going to miss her.