My Very First Friend, And Best Friend

Not many people are lucky enough to say that they have had a best friend for nearly 25 years, much less that they are still friends with their very first friend, but I am.  Katie has been my friend since the day I was born.  I don’t remember a time in my life without her, because there hasn’t been.  We lived right across the street from each other for 13 years, until I moved 5 hours away.  I will never forget having to say goodbye to her.  At that point, it was probably the hardest thing I had to do in my life.  We wrote nearly every day and it took me a while to get over the fact I lived so far away.  And then, another move came and I lived 16 hours away from her.  It’s so hard to live hours upon hours away from your best friend, but we definitely make it work.  Before I moved, she and another friend of ours threw me a surprise going away party and I was SO caught off guard and surprised! I cried more than ever that night, but it meant so much to me, to have so many people I loved there together, to say goodbye before I left.  Time can pass between times we talk, or she may not get a call for me for a long time (I’m NOT a phone person), but we always pick right back up and we both know we are always there for each other.  Two years ago she got married to a wonderful man, Jay, and I was so honored to be in their wedding and to be part of such a special day.  What fun it was!    I still have my bridesmaid’s dress hanging in my closet and I see it everyday (along with pictures of the two of us from that day) and I think about that day every time I see it.  I can’t wait for the day I can have her be a part of my special day.  There is no one I would want to have in my wedding more than her. It’s getting really hard to live so far away from each other.  I’ve actually only met her husband a couple times and she has only met Gus once, at her wedding.  I wish more than anything that the four of us could to go dinner together, spend time at each others houses, have girls day out, the guys get together to watch football.  I do hope one day we are able to live a little closer, or some how do more together. Over the years since I have moved away, we haven’t been able to see each other much and the last time we saw each other was at her wedding.  It is certainly about time for a visit… I am so thankful for the memories I do have though.  Katie and I used to do things from going to Subway together for dinner, hang out in the middle of the street we lived on (it was a Court with only 4 houses), ride bikes, get together for our Monday night show, I’d go down in her basement and watch her practice dancing (She is an amazing Irish dancer), we’d bake together, clean each others houses… Oh so many things.  I am so thankful to have a best friend like her, and no one will ever be able to replace her.