Smuffeling, Sea-King Dude, Mr. Micdoguals and Dr. Nigogoles, Brittany Spears Immitations and The Queen of England

A lot of people say they have many best friends. But for many, there is that ONE best friend. that ONE person who has always been there, that ONE person who you always go to, that ONE person who will always have your back and that ONE person who knows you better then you know yourself. some people never find that person. some people go through this whole life without that friend. And tonight, I am taking a moment to feel the surmounting gratitude that I have that friend in my life.

I am so thankful for Julianna. It was through a lot of actions, consequences, and choices that MANY other people made that brought us together one fateful afternoon at a church activity when we were both eight years old.

Now, almost thirteen years later, Juli is turning twenty and I am turning 19 and 1/2 (we are exactly 6 months apart). We are both in the middle of our college education, we are older, wiser, smarter, but still spend countless moments laughing like little girls while re-enacting brittany spears, canoe trips, funny words and eating cold cookie dough and china food while watching out favorite shows.

For me, Juli's friendship to me goes beyond the typical best friend status. Juli has gone with me to the end of the earth and back. She has her own drawer in my dresser and I have my own in hers. We have created our own dictionary of random words that we mixed up, weird dreams that we dreamt and songs that we wrote. She was the one who was there the day I got sick. She was the one who was there when I lost my hair. She was the one who made sure I wasn't the only bald girl who left the hair dresser that day. Juli shared not only my clothes, my food and my love for books. She shared my hard days, my bad days; my good days and my triumphs; my hospital bed. Juli is my sister.

Some friends come and go. Some lie, some steal, some bruise your heart. Some take your secrets and run. Some stay for the connections. Some were never really friends at all.

But there is always that ONE who stays always, who never lets you down and who spends time with you playing buggy and kermit the frog.

i like that we're friends because

when something matters to me,

it matters to you, too.

When you have a good idea,

You tell me first -

That's why we make such a great team.

I like that we're friends because

when i say something funny, you laugh,

and when I'm not my usual self,

you notice right away

and ask me, "what's wrong?"

you're there for me and I'm there for you.

thats what friends are for.

I like you because...you are just you.

when somebody asks me who my best friend is,

I say, "you." and you say, "me."

and fifty years from now,

we'll say the same thing.

that's the way it is and will always be

i don't know if i will ever be able to sum up my gratitude to Juli for being the friend she is to me. I don't think I will ever have adequate words. Her sacrifices and genuine friendship will forever and always be the brightest example to me.

i love you forever, best friend. Happy Birthday.