Best Friends Forever. I know what that is. Literally.

Out of my almost 27 years of existence I’ve been friends with Ryan for almost 25 of them. Crazy right?!

I think so. 

I don’t see him enough. We all are busy. Not a good excuse, we need to hang out more. I miss him. Sometimes I don’t realize how much I miss him until I’m in his severely goofy, overly chatty presence. You see, he never stops talking. But I love that about him.

We grew up on the same street, My first memories ever are with him. He made me do boy stuff all the time growing up, but he was a good sport and sometimes would even play barbies or dress up with me too.  We were fixtures of each other’s homes & lives.  Also? My Brother and his Sister were high school sweet hearts & married 16(i think?) years ago. We were even in their wedding together.

We are family. Which is awesome. Our families are literally one now, and have been for some time. We often intermingle on Holidays & Birthdays & it’s always so comfortable. I think of his family as my own. I really do. I think of him as my third Brother, & his sister? Well she’s my sister too.

He got married yesterday to a wonderful lady named Danielle. Ryan also became an official second Dad yesterday to her three boys that he loves insane amounts.  Out of everyone I know Ryan is the most stand up guy (besides my brother). He’s a “good guy” in every sense of it.  Nice guys finish last is often true, & has sadly been true for him a few times.  Not this time though. He was so happy yesterday dancing at his reception with his Wife. It made me really happy.   I was really quiet yesterday. It’s because I was kinda emotional & feared that if I spoke too much I’d burst into tears in front of everyone.

His Step-Mom was toasting him & his wife at the reception & she was saying that she entered Ryan’s life 19 years ago. I zoned out on everything else she said after that. I was fixated on that number….19. I couldn’t believe that it had been 19 years.  That seems so long ago. But, I remember clearly when she and her 2 daughters came into their lives. (also, those 2 girls are part of my life too. I love them so much. Again, we’re like a big huge family) I just sat their & looked around at everyone, I knew so many of them & felt so comfortable there with everyone. I reminisced with Ryan’s Grandma, Connie about a few funny stories from our childhood & realized that this just isn’t the norm. We are really lucky. I am really lucky that I have this huge, wonderful extended family. That I’ve had it for a really long time & will always have this great connection with a group of people that aren’t “blood” related. That when they ask how my own little family is they aren’t just making small talk, that they genuinely care.  I felt very grateful on our long drive home last night.

I’m happy I got to spend time with everyone yesterday & celebrate a happy, happy day for Ryan and Danielle.

xoxox

and this is completely random but I will always think of Ryan when I hear this ridiculous song. We were super young, spending the weekend at My Brother’s & his Sister’s duplex back in the day & we tried our hardest to choreograph a dance to this song!