Its been a long 7 years, in which it feels like we have some how spent so much time together, yet none at all. The first time I saw you, I was headed into the 4th grade. You had come to America for the year to spend it with your grandparents (My new neighbors. Or maybe we were the new neighbors). Noah was so little. We all were. We had that little spot in the tree between our houses that we made into a janky tree house, and later Grandpa Norman turned it into a *huge tree house with a roof and everything. I remember the cold nights after school where we would go down and play with dolls, or just talk. We had a cow bell that we rang if we were there, and if we heard the cow bell, we were supposed to come running (if we could). The first year you left back to Russia was hard. You had become my best friend in that short year. Even though you started out more distant from me.
The next time you cant back, we were both in Jr. High. That whole year was a mess. I don't even remember what we were fighting about, I just know it lasted the whole year. I think it had to do with horses? Or was that our freshman year fight? Some how, you were my best friend, even though we fought and annoyed the heck out of each other. However, it was easier to say good bye. No more fighting, right? WRONG. Facebook is a thing. I don't know how we resolved it. I'm just glad we did.
Over the next few years, we bonded a lot over Facebook. We didn't really get to see each other, the last time you were up it was only for three months instead of the year, and it felt like it flew by so fast. We cried together, laughed together. You somehow filled a hole inside of me that I didn't even know was there. This year, we only spent a little bit of time together, because we both had work and seemed to have different times off, all the time. The time we did have together though, was amazing.
I love our late night walks, when its just you and me. The darkness covering us, keeping our secrets. Maybe we just gossip about school and work and different events in the community, maybe we spill our souls and secrets. Sometimes all we did was tell each other how glad we are to have each other in our lives. We talk about the past. How ugly (or not) we were as little kids, junior high, maybe even now. Compliment each other, Yell at each other to shut up because "I happen to know for a fact that I am not attractive" but "thats funny because I know for a fact that you are"
I love how defensive we get over each other. Nobody messes with you if I have anything to say about it, and nobody messes with me if you have something to say about it.
Today in the car we talked about our college plans, you're going to Arizona. I'm staying in Oregon. I told you how I was scared of being left behind because you were gonna go and do great things, and I was just gonna be Georgia from Oregon, if anybody knows who that is. You laughed like it was unthinkable that I could ever be forgettable, or left behind.
I don't really know what I'm trying to say. I'm gonna miss you. I can't believe we are headed into the next book of our lives already. It feels like just a few years ago that you knocked on my door, inviting us to Noah's birthday party. Making up stories about Austin, going fishing with Grandpa Norman, riding a mule up a mountain, watching fireworks on the lake marine, riding our horses through yards (and a fence), eating ice cream in the dead of night, watching some movie we found on the internet. camping, arguing, learning, insulting, complimenting, crying, laughing, building, growing. Till now when all of a sudden we are at the peak of the mountain, and we get to look across all that we have done together. I've had seven brilliant years with you, and now we just get more and more years.
Adulthood, no one to pick us up if the car breaks down. We will have to find a new place to get milkshakes, somewhere in between Oregon and Arizona. All the new adventures and challenges life is going to throw at us. Who am I gonna be? Who are YOU gonna be? I hope we are still an Us, because I love you. I've never met someone so head strong, determined, beautiful, resilient, intelligent, annoying person in my life. How can you sing off key so perfectly? How do you make the Backstreet Boys feel like the best pop music in the world? How can you take me from 0 to a hundred with an insult? ive never met someone who can actually make my day by insulting me till I met you, and I love you all the more for it (Mostly because I know you don't mean it)
I can't wait to see you again, best friend. I am so excited to see what life has in store for us. Till then, I miss you like crazy.
XOXO, G
