Dear Squad,

It’s a beautiful thing to have a home base, people who, even hundreds of miles away, can bring you a piece of home with a phone call. I am so happy that God brought each of you into my life four years ago because my life would look completely different without you in it.

I’m amazed all the time at the balance we’re able to maintain even though we’re so different. We all compliment the best parts of each other and fill the holes that we may be missing. This doesn’t happen all the time and I’ve learned so much about myself just by growing up beside you.

Distance has truly meant absolutely nothing. I was so worried as the end of summer approached, thinking that, despite our best intentions and best efforts to stay as close as we were, life would get in the way. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. If anything, I genuinely think we’ve gotten closer (if that’s even possible) and the time we spend together is so much more meaningful than ever before.

There is nothing I look forward to more than our FaceTime dates and phone calls, except the magical times when we all happen to be home at the same time and get to spend the entire day together. It amazes me how we’re able to pick up right where we left off, pretending like it hasn’t been months since we’ve seen each other last. Setting these little victories of knowing exactly when I’m going to be able to see you next is honestly sometimes what gets me through the weeks that seem to be longer than humanly possible.

We have made more memories than I can even count and these are the things I hold so near and dear to me. My entire wall is filled with favorite moments, wacky photos, and letters from all of you. It’s an amazing thing to know that I’ll have messages from you from the moment that my eyes pop open to the moment my head hits the pillow (whatever time that may be).

I love that our families have become second homes for one another (and the fact that I’m the only squad member in a group chat with all the moms). Knowing we can go to each other’s homes whenever, even if we aren’t even home, and feel comfortable sitting and chatting with the family and even know where everything is in the kitchen is comical, but so special. We truly are an extension of each family.

I love that we talk 24/7 and never get sick of each other. No day would feel complete without texting, tweeting, calling, and snap chatting you all simultaneously. You genuinely know everything that’s happening in my life in real time, still experiencing everything with me as if you were here in Staten Island next to me. I don’t know how people can go extended periods of time without telling their best friends what’s happening every second of their day— if I don’t know what you all ate that day, I truly become a basket case and storm the groupchat, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thank you for countless sleepovers and trips to the Red Line Diner. Thank you for ALWAYS being down to go for a drive with the music all the way up and the windows all the way down. Thank you for Tuesday mornings at the rail trail. Thank you for making sure not a day goes by where we don't wake up to a good morning and good night text in the groupchat. Thank you for those amazing few days in Disney that we talk about pretty much every week and I will never, ever forget (and devouring an entire cake that one night on the floor like The Golden Girls). Thank you for supporting me endlessly, never judging, and always listening.

Most importantly, thank you for these first four years of friendship. I cannot wait to do the rest of life with you ladies by my side. We all joke that we can’t wait to walk in each other’s weddings, but I am truly excited at the thought that I get to share all of these moments with you.

You’ve become my family and I love and appreciate you guys more than you know or can ever fit into 500 words.

Long live the groupchat. Long live the finsta. Long live this beautiful bond.

Love,

The Fourth Sister