Three and a half years. To some, that may seem like a very long time, but for me, that time has flown by. Three and a half years. That is all it has taken for you to go from being my first serious boyfriend to becoming the guy I am going to spend the rest of my life with. This letter is for you because you deserve to know the words in my heart that I do not always make time to say.

A few months before we started dating, I had sworn myself off of boys until college. One too many heartbreaks had done me in, and I just wanted to get through my senior year without the drama I thought a boyfriend would bring me. But then you came along, and for a reason I could not figure out at the time, I couldn't ignore this new crush.

You were incredibly shy, and when I was around you, the butterflies in my stomach took over. After just a few short months of dating, I knew you were different than all of the guys who had broken my heart. From the beginning, you were sweet and caring and you made me feel so special. Our friends might make fun of you for waiting two months to kiss me, but I will always love that about you. Even at the start you knew we were something special and you wanted to make every milestone perfect and thoughtful.

The longer we were together, the closer we became, and the easier it was to be our true, crazy, selves around each other. It became my normal to spend the whole day texting you, planning out our dates and times together, and wanting to spend all the time I could with you. After 8 months, you told me you loved me, and I have been madly in love with you since that day.

In just over three years, you have become my whole entire world. There are so many things I want to thank you for and so many things you deserve to hear. This letter will not be long enough to say everything, but I am so happy that I have the rest of my life to say all the things I need to.

Thank you for being my very best friend for the past three and a half years. I am not afraid to be my loud, goofy self around you, and we can make each other laugh for hours on end. I tell you everything, and I have sobbed into your shoulder on more than one occasion. You will never really know just how grateful I am for that and for you.

You have seen me at my best and at my very worst, yet you still love me more every single day. You accept me for who I am and you always have. With everything I have gone through in the past year, you have stayed by my side and have been my strength.

Thank you for loving me unconditionally and for always making me feel like the most beautiful and most special girl in the world. Thank you for seeing my strength even on the days I feel so weak. Thank you for constantly encouraging me and being proud of me.

Thank you for letting me talk to you about anything and everything. I love that we are planning our future together and that you are so excited for what our lives have in store. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.

I cannot imagine my life without you in it; you have become the better half of me and I would be incomplete if I did not have you. I'm so crazy in love with you and I love you more every single day.

Thank you for loving me, and I cannot wait to love you for the rest of my life.