Dear McKenzie,

Honestly, I’m not even sure exactly when our friendship began. It most likely happened after all of those periods of French class with our favorite grumpy teacher. But I know it blossomed the summer before senior year. Between our jobs and families, we spent a lot of that summer in your truck. You driving and me riding shotgun, hand cranking down my window because I was fascinated with it. We rode to the house I was pet sitting for a while and played with baby bunnies. One day we went shopping and then out to eat, acting like grown-ups we are soon sure to be. We went out to ice cream and sat down and talked about everything that was going on. We spent that summer together and we learned a lot about each other.

I learned you can’t keep a secret. You hate secrets and don’t want to have any. Even when it involves getting each other gifts. That you’d rather be grumpy and have people love you because of who you are, then having to pretend to be someone you’re not. That we can make hundreds of jokes about having black souls and dark hearts. I learned that no matter what, you’ll stand up for me and I’ll stand up for you.

I am especially so thankful to have you always there for me in college. We’re two hours apart, but if I need you you’re right where I need you. So, thank you for the countless conversations over phone calls, texts, messenger, Twitter, and Snapchat. Oh, and thank for the care package full of my favorite treats you gave me, I already ate the Twizzlers. Thank you so much for not letting our friendship disintegrate between high school and college.

Thank you for always being here for me. Thank you for always letting me be negative and being negative with me. I think the world really doesn’t appreciate how beneficial it is to your health to have a friend that you can be negative with. But also, thank you for never being negative with me, but rather always being a positive thinker for and with me. Thank you for sharing your dreams and hopes with me. Thank you for helping me dream about and believe in a future that would make me very happy. Oh, and thank you for always letting me third wheel in your relationship. I’m so happy you found a nice guy that will always buy the both of us Wendy’s frostys.

I hope you have the best birthday yet. That you get to spend it with many of the people that you love. I hope you wear the bracelet I already gave you, so I didn’t have to go through a month of you asking me what I bought you. But mostly, I hope that you remember how much you are loved.

Happy birthday to one of my closest friends! I love you, McKenzie!

Love,

Marissa