My Dearest Friend

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEST FRIEND (one day early)**

Have you ever met that one person who gets you, like really gets you. That one person you can be yourself with, tell your secrets to, and stay friends no matter what. Well I have that someone and her name is Misty. Her and I go way back, back to seventh grade which is now around fifteen years. Let me explain how we met. It’s a great story that my dear friend Misty doesn’t like me to tell. But I’m gonna tell it because its our story, its why I love her, and because I want to tell it!

I had moved to Salem, Oregon the summer before seventh grade. I moved a lot so this wasn’t any big deal but I was shy and I hated making friends. The first few weeks at middle school I got on the bus, minded my business, and just tried to make it through another day. After a day or two on the bus I noticed this blonde haired girl who sat in the back of the bus with another girl. They were always being loud and getting in trouble from the bus driver. At first I was a little scared of her. They picked on all the kids on the bus and she seemed mean. I considered her the bus bully.

After a few months we started to talk and I realized this blonde haired girl was actually really cool. She wasn’t mean like I thought and we instantly became friends. We became best of friends and did all kinds of crazy dares together, hung out, and told each other our secrets. She had my back and would do anything for me and I would do the same for her.

In ninth grade I moved a town over which was hard because we would walk home together and only lived a few blocks away. Misty vowed we would be friends. Halfway through eleventh grade I moved to Idaho which was a long ways from Salem Oregon. I figured we wouldn’t be friends and I think I even told Misty it was over, I was breaking my friendship with her. Even when I tried to break off our friendship Misty said no way, we were to be friends. Because I had moved so much, ending friendships really wasn’t that big of deal, I mean it was hard and sad but soon I got over it. It was pretty normal to me. I was shocked that she wasn’t going to let me go that easy. Even though I was moving a state away she wanted to be my friend.

So I moved and we continued to remain friends. I went to her graduation and cheered her on when she received her diploma, I was so proud that my friend had graduated. She came to my graduation and did the same for me. We had each other’s backs, no matter what, and always. Misty was there for me through some difficult times and I was there for her, hundreds of miles away we always remained friends.

Fast forward to when we got married and I asked her to be my maid of honor, I guess she was surprised since our friendship had drifted a little. To me this was an easy choice. Other than the man I was marrying Misty is my best friend, she gets me. She came and helped me get ready for my big day, she calmed me down when I had a mini bridal meltdown, and she was ready to kick anyone’s butt on my big day for making me upset!

When Misty got married I went to Salem a couple of days prior to help her prepare for her big day. I wanted to help with anything and everything, basically I wanted to be there for my best friend. I got to take part in her wedding and really help her prepare. When I saw my beautiful friend in her wedding dress and I put the veil on her head I lost it. All those years of being friends flooded over me. I realized I had never had a friend so long and I had never had a friend like her. She is the best friend anyone can ask for and I was just so happy for her to be getting married. So many people get married to the wrong person and I knew my friend had found the one.

Through it all Misty and I have remained friends. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and would literally go the extra mile for any of her friends (and she has gone the extra mile for almost all of them). She has been hurt by friends because she’s so nice but she continues to befriend people. She lets me be who I am and never leaves my side, she is my best friend. She accepts me for who I am and all my flaws, I know we will be old together and still remain friends.

I love you Misty and Happy Birthday. I hope your day brings lots of joys and here’s to many more years of friendship.