When The Smoke Clears

As my grandfather says when one of us makes him proud, "I busted all of my buttons!" (I don't know if this is a Texas saying, so just in case it is, for the non-Texans it means that his chest expanded in pride so much that it busted all of the buttons off of his shirt.) One of my best friends, Christina, is graduating this Friday from the University of Texas at Austin. HOOK 'EM! She was the first friend that I made when I started school at UT, and she has become more of a sister than a friend to me over the last 6 1/2 years. She went through some completely awful things, things no human being should ever have to go through. She had every excuse to bury her head in the sand, but she didn't. She used school as a handrail for her life, holding on and never quitting while she built herself back up. Now, 6 1/2 years after she started, she is graduating from one of the greatest universities in the world! And she is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. I don't think I have to say it, but I will. I've busted all of my buttons!

I love you, Christina, and I am so proud of you! You are an inspiration!