While I was in Minnesota I got the chance to photograph yet another one of my dear friends, Sophie. And yes, I’m about to tell you another sappy, I-have-the-best-friends-ever friendship love story. Except, Sophie and I? We go back wayyyy farther than Alli and I. Her mom, Mona, and my mom were the best of friends for the longest time. The story my mom likes to tell me is this: The day she went to visit Mona in the hospital after delivering Sophie is the same day she told Mona that she was pregnant with me!! So, Sophie and I are exactly 9 months apart, and I’ve basically been able to call her my friend since the day I was born. She is the only person in this world besides family who can say that about me!

Since we didn’t live close enough to go to the same school, our visits with each other were limited, and in spurts. We would go months without seeing each other, and then one lucky weekend we would be inseparable. It didn’t matter how long it had been, we always picked up right where we left off. We both had a crazy fixation with stuffed animals long past the “allowed” age. We both went through phases of wanting to exercise and “get in shape” (at like, 10 years old) and we would do these little workouts together. In all of our imaginary games, we were either orphans, riding horses, or orphans riding horses. One summer Sophie introduced me to Veronica Mars and we spent quite a lot of time catching me up on all the episodes. I remember Sophie always had the most epic birthday parties – for some reason, the Murder Mystery Birthday Party is sticking out in my mind right now. She also always had the most epic hair styles. I was always jealous of her perfect cut, color, and style. We would explore all over my strawberry fields, making creepy dolls out of pumpkins, leaves, and tree sap – or else we would be in her backyard, climbing up her trees, sledding down the perfect hill in her front yard, and walking the trails in her woods.

I’ve tried to meet up with Sophie at least once every time I go back to Minnesota. This time around, she asked me to take some new headshots for her as she is completely re-branding and branching out into freelance graphic design. We had a blast cruising around Red Wing, finding fun locations to shoot at and catching each other up on our lives. It’s so much fun taking photos of someone you’ve known for so long, because you know exactly how they will react when you ask them to pose in certain ways. I just knew when Sophie would think I was asking her to do something cheesy, and I could always tell when a genuine smile was about to come. Seriously, she’s the cutest – you[ll see.

We ended our night with a trip to Fiesta Mexicana – the restaurant that our parents always used to visit. We’ve sat in those booths together many, many times ordering quesadillas and virgin margaritas, and giggling away. Tonight was no exception. I could hardly speak to the poor waitress with a straight voice, I was laughing so much. At one point I even told the waitress, “I’ve known this girl since the day I was born! Oh dear, I better stop now or else I’ll start crying.”

I don’t think Sophie and I will ever run out of things to laugh about when we’re together, and I imagine we’ll be old and gray and still picking things up right where we left them, no matter the distance or time that separates us. I love this girl with all my heart and can’t wait to see where this new adventure and rebranding takes her!