it's official.

I remember a sleepover I had with some girlfriends the summer I turned seventeen. Every single one of them were on their phones with “significant others” and I sat bored waiting impatiently for one of them to get off. They didn’t. So I decided to call one of my friends from an English class I had taken earlier that year; it was Max. We talked long after my friends got off their phones and went to bed, and I remember sneaking into the closet so we could keep talking until three or four in the morning. It was the first time I can remember him telling me that he wanted to be a doctor when he grew up. (I am pretty sure I told him that I just wanted to live on the beach in Hawaii one day. I know. Impressive life goals). Ten years later, and as of last night, it’s all official: Max will be entering the class of 2016 at the University of Utah School of Medicine this fall.

I wish there were enough words, or any words for that matter, to describe how proud I am but there aren’t. Just know that if we were to sit down somewhere and talk about it I would try not to cry. I've cried plenty of times, both happy and sad tears over the last few years as he's worked hard and sacrificed for this. It wasn't anywhere near easy, but that's what makes all of this more rewarding than if it had been.

So congratulations to my best friend in the entire world, and to that seventeen year old boy who had wanted and talked about this so long ago. You did it!