It's amazing how fast you change. Really, it is. It's amazing how in the blink of an eye your entire world changes, and you right along with it.

A few days ago it felt like my mom was teaching me to ride a bike. Barely a breath ago I got my first kiss. A heartbeat away I grew up. I wonder if parents realize how their children feel. If they realize that, yes, we do look back and wonder how we got here. Yes, we do wonder how it happened so fast too. And yes, it scares us just as much as it scares you.

I got a letter from Angie yesterday. (Actually a few days ago, no one bothered to tell me, grr...) She's off the road now, at home resting. She went to the doctor and guess what? That hunch we had that it was going to be a girl? Was right! The new darling angel should be born into the world November 29th, 2006, with the name Erika Nicole. If she's early I might have that be my birthday present lol My first "niece."

Standing in the kitchen I held her letter and glowed. Reading how she's grown, how she's matured, I don't think Angie even realizes how much she's grown up.

My letter to her:

God... Wasn't it just yesterday we found that blackberry bush and stripped it clean, dying our fingers and hands and arms purple? Wasn't is yesterday we had that crush on the same boy? Didn't we just play hide and seek? Weren't we just supposing how amazing our lives would be by now? I could swear it was just last night we were playing with our dolls...

No more dolls, no more supposing, not that kind of supposing... No more hide and seek, no more crushes...

Now it's relationships, getting married, children, it's paying bills, it's applying to colleges, it's saving money.

All our worries have changed.

All accept one.

We'll always worry about the people we love.

We'll always worry about each other.

To the closest thing I've ever had to a sister. To my best friend. To the woman who I know will be a wonderful mother.

I will always look out for you. I will always, always love you. You are my best friend. I hope that you will always know what a huge part of my life you are. And I swear, when I get married and have children, our kids will know each other. And when we're little old ladies baking cookies for the grandbabies, we'll still bug each other with pictures of them, which we'll have shown each other 50,000 times lol One thing is certain. No matter how much we may fight, no matter how many times we have a falling out, when it comes down to it, you're still my best friend.

I can't wait to see your baby girl. I'm sure she'll have your beautiful eyes, and that big sparkling smile. I'm sure she'll have your laugh, which is enough to make hearts of ice melt. I'm she she'll have your kindness, and your tender lovely heart. I'm sure she'll be smart as a whip, and have a wonderful sense of humor. I'm sure she'll light up any room. I'm sure she'll change the world. She's already changed yours.

You'll never know how proud I am of you. Of your strength. No one knows better than you and I what we've been through. What growing up how we did was to us. I know only a drop in the bucket of your life, of your secrets, but I know there's a lot of things we never needed to say. And I don't need to say them now.

Thank you for staying in my life and being a constant when so many things changed. No, we didn't talk as much as either of us would've liked. Yes, we missed out on a lot of each other's lives. But I always knew you'd be there for me. I hope you know the same is true of me. I'll always be there, through thick and thin, through the scary and not so scary times. I'll always hold your secrets and your wishes dear to my heart.

Call my name and I'll be there. All you ever need to do is ask.