I wanted to dedicate a page to my absolutely amazing boyfriend Ryan. He and I have a very special relationship. He’s so much more than just my boyfriend, he’s my best friend and has been since I was 5 years old. You see I was born in Texas and lived there until I was 5. My mom and I moved to New York after she and my dad went through a nasty divorce. We moved in next door to Ryan and he was the first thing I saw when we pulled in the driveway. He was learning how to ride a two wheeler in his driveway with his dad. While my mom was unpacking the moving van, Ryan came over and told me that my house was better than his because mine had a pool and his didn’t. From that moment on we started talking and almost instantly became best friends. We were the same age, just 2 months apart, we were going to be going to the same school, we were just clearly meant to be friends. Since that day Ryan has been there for me 110% of the time. He knows all my secrets, all my struggles and all my flaws and loves and accepts every last one of them. He’s helped me through the hardest times of my life and has never once hurt me in anyway. He and I have been inseparable for years, it’s almost crazy how we haven’t gotten sick of each other yet. We officially started dating on June 15, 2005, behind our parents’ backs. They told us we had to wait until we were 13 if we wanted to ‘date’, (they thought we were kidding) but we didn’t want to wait, so we started just 2 months shy of my 13th birthday. Of course we’ve had our ups and downs, and things haven’t always been completely perfect but no matter what has been thrown at us we’ve always gotten through it. Even when I had to move back to Texas the summer before our senior year of high school. It was the worst thing for me, I didn’t want to leave my best friend, my boy friend. but my step dad’s job needed him down there for 6 months. He promised me he’d do everything he could to get us back to New York and he came through for me. We moved back to New York on December 20th, of 2010. Of course I wasn’t next door to Ryan anymore but now I am just a block a way. The best part of moving back to New York was the fact that Ryan had no idea. My family and his family kept the whole thing a secret and on Christmas day I rang his doorbell and surprised him. It was one of the best days of my life. Since then everything between he and I has been wonderful. He is so much more than I deserve. I often wonder how I got so lucky to have met him and have him in my life. I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today if he wasn’t in my life. He is my better half and I am truly in love with him. The best advice I could ever give anyone is fall in love with your best friend. A lot of people say it’s not a good idea cause if something happens you’ll lose a boyfriend and a best friend. But I don’t buy that. A best friend is forever, if they don’t stick around then they’re weren’t really your best friend in the first place. Same goes with dating your best friend, even if something happens between you both, you’ll find a way back to each other and always stay best friends. I love you Ryan, my Bubba, and I always will. 06|15|05♥