Ally...

Today was the last day that I will have my "driving to school buddy" riding shotgun with me.  Tomorrow, for the first time in a while, I will drive to school alone.  It's the end of an era in many ways, Ally's graduating high school, and her mom is closing her day care.

I met Ally when I first went back to work after having Noah.  Her mom watches my kiddos.  She was going into 6th grade at the time, and Noah was almost 6 months old.  Here's some pictures of her and Noah at his first birthday party.  As you can see, she was already part of the family by then.

When she entered high school, she started riding to school with me.  It seemed dumb for her to take the bus since we were both going to the same location from her house.  Ally became my "driving to school buddy".  Sometimes we would talk on the way to school, other times we would ride in the quiet.  She could read my mood and I could read her mood.  I learned a lot about her and she became like my little sister.

Before the end of her junior year of high school, Ally joined the National Guard as a means for college.  What that meant was, she took all her final exams early and spent her entire summer in boot camp.  Not your typical teenage girl, eh?  She's amazing.  That's what she is.

Leaving for boot camp

Ally is a senior this year.  She is president of the National Honor Society.  Besides doing Guard duty one weekend a month, she also works another job, all while maintaining a GPA of over 4.7.  She is one of the most down to earth, grounded young ladies you will ever meet.  When we had to send Finchy across the Rainbow Bridge, it was Ally who came and stayed with the kids and refused to take babysitting money.  When Ryan passed out at Red Robin, it was Ally who came and watched my kids while I stayed at the ER with Ryan. This summer she is going to spend 10 days in Costa Rica on a trip that she paid for with her own money and when she returns home, she will leave for the remainder of the summer for her job training for the National Guard.

Ally, we may not be actual sisters, but I love you like we are.  I am so proud of you and everything you have done.  I'm going to miss driving to school with you.  Congratulations on graduating!