Having a brother-in-law is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Matt has been my best friend growing up since I was about 9 years old.

It all started when my sister first introduced him to my brother and me in the summer. We all were playing Color-Color in the pool, to which my brother and I yelled at Matt because every color he said we claimed was not a real color.

Needless to say, our first time meeting each other was unforgettable. The rest is history from then on.

By the time I was 10 or 11, Matt moved into our house. It was fun living in such a packed house. We had my mom, dad, my two siblings, Matt, my grandmother and uncle with us. Through all the years of living together, Matt has become the equivalent to another brother to me.

With that being said, there are so many things I want to thank him for because he has not only become my brother-in-law, but also a best friend, a role model and “Manny” to me.

I want to thank Matt for being the “Manny of the house.” Throughout my childhood, Matt was the one person who was always available to help.

When my parents were at work and my sister was in college, Matt stayed home or worked relatively close so he would always be the first person I called if I needed anything.

Whether that be getting picked up from school numerous times a year or needing someone to make me a bowl of macaroni and cheese (since I'm literally the worst cook in the world) he was always the first one there.

That is why my family and I joke that he is the "manny," or the male nanny of the household.

I want to thank Matt for being my best friend of all time.

My siblings, including him, are the closest family members I have. He taught me all about pop-punk music, and we went to a ridiculous amount of concerts together.

In the living room and backyard, he would always play music, and I would sing along and play “Guess that tune,” together.

He would cook dinner for my siblings and me, we would all play monopoly together and yell at my brother for cheating, play an absurd amount of Cards Against Humanity in a night and most of all, he was always there to listen.

I want to thank Matt for being a role model.

There is quite the age gap between my brother-in-law and I. Everything I have experienced he had already experienced years before. I would vent to him about friends, relationships, academics...you name it.

Every time he has always given me advice. Even when the world seemed like it was falling apart he would just laugh and tell me it was all going to play out just fine. Matt would always be honest with me, never sugar coated anything, which is rare to find when asking adults for advice.

He was open to me and told me all about his life when he was younger, and I learned he is a motivated individual despite obstacles he faced when he was younger.

Lastly, I want to thank Matt or “The Manny,” for being part of my family now.

I want to thank him for loving my sister endlessly and making her the happiest woman in the world. I am so lucky that she chose him to be with forever because now I have a second brother. I want to thank him for being so much more than the average brother-in-law.

What I have learned growing up with a manny is that it is important to be close to your family.

It is important to have that one person who you not only consider family but also your best friend. I have learned that it takes a special person to fit into your family.

The manny has taught me endless lessons in life, but most of all, I learned that my brother-in-law is the greatest friend I have ever had.