I wrote her a letter instead:

She’s the best of the best. The cream of the crop. She’s the one I always call first. 

She’s my best friend. 

Forever.

When you live 800 miles away from your best, it’s always dumb--there’s just no ifs, and, or buts about that. But once in a while there are days {like today} when you would give just about anything to be able to bike to her house and spend the day with her. It’s not a particularly special day, but it is one that I’d love to spend drinking iced tea on her couch and catching up on the last 7 hours of life {that’s a long time in best friend land}. I’d love to lie on the floor and read books with her beautiful babies, craft the day away while we watch old Project Runway episodes, and laugh till we cry, because life is hilarious. 

But, I can't. 
So I wrote her a letter instead:

Dear Candace,

It’s hard to believe that I moved away over a year and ½ ago. So much has happened! So much is different, but so much is the same. When I moved, my stomach ached nervously for our friendship. My past is speckled with best friends. Really amazing people who absolutely were my very favorites, who knew all my best and worst, who I laughed with, cried with, stayed up all night scaring people in the dorm bathrooms with, drove 5 hours in the wrong direction with, and then some. I will always treasure those loves. But when life said, “it’s time to go,” those friendships would become faded versions of themselves. 

They would never be the same.

With you, it’s different. 

I don’t feel that you're any less my best friend today than I did when I tearfully hugged you goodbye on your porch on that day-that day that seems like so long ago now. I truly feel that for the rest of my life, when I’m talking about my best friend, I will be talking about you. We have fought to say that. We have worked hard at it. We have been painfully honest when we were hurt by one another. You have loved me on my most unlovable days. 

And now we're here, and it's better than ever! 

At the end of my first day teaching, it's you I'll call. When I'm wearing that pretty white dress, you'll be standing next to me. When my babies are only an hour old, they will know your face 
(Skype= other BFF). 

Oh darling friend, the best is yet to come!

We will both make other really good friends. That’s okay. Sometimes, we will go weeks without a phone date. That’s okay too. But sweep away the craziness of life {grad school, family, distance, careers}, and there will always be me and you, babe. 

Best friends. Forever.

I love you.

<3

One of our favorite blog posts, if you want more squishy, best girlfriend, goodness: 

35 things I want my daughter to know about girlfriends.
So good.