On September 5th 2005, I started the first grade. That particular date may not be significant to most people (well, maybe your parents if they are the kind that remember every little milestone in your life), but it is the day that the path my life was taking had crossed with this girl named Alexandra, or Alex if you may. We use this date as our “friendaversary” since we do not technically know the exact date we met. I did not know it then, but she would eventually become one of the most important people in my life.

Happy Birthday Alex, today you turn 19, and you continue to grow into the amazing person I always knew you eventually would come to be. You are definitely my best friend of all time, and I am so blessed to know that you continue to be part of my life after all these years.

I wish I could dig up some of the more ancient pictures of us back from elementary school, but those are in a different laptop back home. I have come to think that the universe needs us together since they happened to shove us in the same elementary, middle, and high school. From the days in recorder ensemble and band in elementary school, to the days in earth science class in middle school, and all the endless after school trips to McDonalds, food adventures, shopping in Queens Center, and the dreaded classes of high school, I knew I was always bound to have you by my side. You always were there to be my twin for twin day, even if you thought spirit week was stupid at times. While we are definitely not twins, you definitely are my favorite sister that I will never have. Besides, there was that one guy in the street who thought we were sisters for a while.

I have learned so much from you over the years. For one thing, you were the first person to teach me the importance of getting your eyebrows done. I remember going with you some days thinking that it was stupid, but thanks to you I have too many eyebrow razors and an expensive pair of tweezers. In fact, a lot of my style choices today come from your influence. I would never own a pair of timbs, flannels, an oversized jean jacket, or fold up the bottom of my jeans (all of which I actively do all the time nowadays).

I hate how much we trust and love each other. I will never forget how you asked me to go to your house to unplug your iPod touch while you were at work, and how you practically taught me to break into your house. Not that I would, but yeah I know how to get in if you ever need me to. I just hope you know that I would climb mountains and swim across oceans for you (both of which I am not athletically prepped for). I go to college over 300 miles away from you, and if it came down to it, I would go home if you needed me. Speaking of college, you are one of the reasons I hate Oswego, despite how much I love it. You are too damn far away! We grew up together through all these years, and this is actually the first year that we have been apart on our birthdays because of college. Besides, who else is going to sing along to throwback tunes with me and then tell me to shut up since we are on the train.

Speaking of telling me to stop singing, you need to stop dancing. You are amazing at a lot of things, but we both know that dancing is not your strong point. However, you never fail to make me laugh with the random awkwards stances, your clumsiness, and your liveliness even though you feel dead inside 99% of the time. Some people may hate it, but it is one of my favorite things about you.

I know that away from each other we live very separate lives, but I know that no matter who I end up with, you will always be in my circle. Actually, you are too important to me to just be in my circle, you are in my inner circle which might be the size of a hula hoop. I never thought that I would have this constant of a friendship from 1st grade until now. It is comforting to know that you will pick up the phone at any time (as long as you are not knocked all the way out) when I call, or will snap or text me when you think of me too.

I think one of the biggest things we can thank each other for is being friends with each other while we were ugly. I mean, we are both still two of the baddest ladies in the game but our friendship came with a glo-up. As I said before, you taught me eyebrows, I taught you makeup. You taught me how to dress, and I taught you somewhat of a confidence. I have watched you go through every single phase from the middle school emo hair, to the blonde highlighted tips, to the shoulder length hair, to the dora bangs, and to who you are now. From every single phase that we both had we stuck by each other and hyped each other up even if we look back now and realize that we made some horrible mistakes. Regardless, we were gorgeous through it all.

I sometimes wish that we overall spent more time together. Sure, we may have met in elementary school, but the only reason we even talked was because we were both band nerds. I always thought it was funny how you got braces while learning to play the trombone. I did not realize the pain you were in until I did the same with trumpet a few years later when I got braces. I actively think about that a lot because that is when I knew you were a strong person. I mean, you still switched to saxophone the following year (and KILLED IT), but “you is strong guuuurl”.

Another one of the amazing things about you is that you are always down for anything. In the summertime you are always down to go to the beach even if it is just a spontaneous “beach day?” text at 9:00am. Along with this, I am glad that you will go anywhere in the city with me just to go eat food that we would see in a Facebook video. Despite how many different food places we go to, we always somehow seem to end up with a 20-piece chicken nuggets with BBQ and ranch.

It is so comforting to know that I can be there for you for everything. “Imma keep it real with you chief” between both of us you have definitely been through more relationship troubles. I will forever be ready to kill anyone that hurts you. I have watched you grow so much over the years to let you be cut down by someone else. I know that you are very independent, but it never hurts to lean back on me or anyone once in a while.

Thank you for always shopping with me. I know that we both have days where we spend kind of recklessly, and it makes both of our bank accounts scream in harmony. We are without a doubt living our best lives though, and we both know that we have come a long way to make that happen. I have had many ups and downs in my life and you were one of the few constants I had, and I hope it stays that way.

I just have so much love for you, bestfriend. We are not the perfect pair of gals, but we are as close to perfect as I will ever get with someone since I would not trade you for the world. You know those old Facebook posts that say, “If you’ve been friends with someone for 5 years, you will be stuck with them forever” or something among the lines of that? You showed me that those cliche posts are true. You are my cliche best friend. The one I do everything with, the one I go to for everything, the one who will probably be the godmother to my kids while I end up being the godmother of your dog(s).

We used to joke about how “we made it” after each regents test in high school, that is until the day of graduation when we actually made it. We are both in very new chapters of our lives, and we hopefully have many more to go that we are both a part of. Back when we were 6 years old, I never imagined that 12 and a half years later I would have you still in my life. Being with you is a rollercoaster. There are ups, downs, it makes you want to puke and scream, but it is overall a good time.

(March 3, 2018) So, Happy 19th Birthday Alex. You deserve everything going for you, and you will forever have me by your side. I cannot wait until we are 60 years old laughing at things that happened when we were 16. I cannot wait till we both have money to go all the places that we have dreamed to go. I love you so much, and I cannot wait to see you next week once my spring break begins. I thank God that your parents had sex and created you. No one will ever replace you in my heart my love. I hope you have an amazing day, and a memorable year for your “nasty nineteen”.

*shimmy, shimmy*