My best friend got into medical school, what has yours done?

My J, lovingly known as Bestest, has been part of my life since our junior year in high school. We met the summer we both began hosting at Applebee's, and shortly thereafter became inseparable. In fact, one co-worker once said we were "like Paris and Nicole, only smarter". We thought that was hilarious at the time, though now that I'm older, it makes me cringe a little bit. Regardless - it was a good comparison at the time because Paris and Nicole were attached at the hip, and Jackie and I always have been if we've been within a 100 mile radius of each other.

The sheer power of friendship is an amazing thing. I still consider J to be my best friend, even though we haven't lived remotely close to each other since the summer of 2006, after we both graduated from high school. Since that summer, we've really only seen each other around holidays, or other special occasions. I know I can always go to her, and she is a permanent part of our lives.

Fun fact: J introduced Dan and I in 2007. So, we can all say "thank you" to her for her great match-making skills.

Since high school, it has been J's goal to go on to medical school. She flew through undergrad at a great pace, completing her degree at least one semester early. I was supposed to drive with her family to help her celebrate and be at her ceremony, but she graduated the semester we found out I was pregnant, and I was throwing up like it was my new job. Very shortly after I decided not to go on a cross-country journey, I was prescribed Zofran, which saved me from my own awfully upset tummy. I wish I would've had Zofran earlier, so I could've been at one of the biggest celebrations of her achievements yet.

After she graduated, she applied to quite a few schools, but they were too stupid to pick my Bestest right away. If you don't know J, she is very good at adapting and going with the flow, even if she may not think she is. She had an interview in Arizona and she was on the wait-list, but nothing ever opened up.

So instead of sitting and pouting, she got to work on her Master's degree close(r) to home. She completed that early as well, while continuing to volunteer, and hold down a job. She decided to apply again to various schools, and then the wait set in. I can imagine how stressful it is on the applicant because I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time she was waiting to hear back, and I'm an ocean away.

She heard back from a school in Colorado, and was asked to fly out for an interview. She flew out in early March, and heard back in mid-to-late March. She got in, she got in! I didn't doubt that it would happen, she just had to find the right match, the school that realized what a good fit she is for their program.

She moves this July and begins her newest journey in life this fall. I don't think I could explain how proud I am of her, and her persistence. She has an incredible work ethic, and one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know. She will make a great doctor, and I am excited to continue with her into this new chapter as her best friend.