Ladies and gentlemen, Katherine Joy Derickson.

In response to her blog post on my recent day of birth, I will try to put in words the thanks and love I have for this now twenty year old woman.

This is Katie and I, and I would say that picture does a fine job at expressing our relationship. About a year and two months ago, we sat at a Chick-Fil-A, as strangers. She was trembling in her chair because apparently I'm 'intimidating', or something like that. And I tried my best to not make her use the restroom in her pants. Once that was over, we magically became friends, best friends. I say magically because it was absolutely by the grace of God. Nothing alike, with not much in common, except for our love for our beautiful creator, it was from that day on that I had an amazing sister named Katie. This past year has been insane, I am not sure I can express it on a blog post. We have both had some enormous changes and some eye opening experiences. And through each one of them I felt the unconditional love of my best friend. I get the pleasure of joining Katie next year in Oxford, Ohio. Where we will both be attending college in the fall. It is such a relief to have someone to look up to and turn to in my new home. On this April 12, I thank Jesus for placing her in my life and shining through her like I have never seen in a person before.