Best Friend, Cousin, Sister...

This week my best friend, cousin, sister got engaged.  Ever since I can remember she has been my closest friend, someone I can turn to for comfort and guidance when I feel lost, and laughter when I feel silly.  Some people aren't blessed to be as close to their cousin as I have been to mine.  Jadyn and I were born two weeks apart, and have been inseparable ever since.  My grandma tells stories of us seeking the companionship of the other when we were young enough to still be sleeping in cribs.

When we were toddlers we lived in Arizona together.  Our parents were still finishing up school so we got to live near one another before their professional careers started.  By the looks of it, we got to hang out with Grandpa Cherry all the time.  We were so lucky to spend time with him, but even more lucky to spend time with each other.  At the time I had no younger siblings so Jadyn filled the role of my sister.  I may have been older, but I looked up to her.  I still look up to her today.

When our parents graduated from college their lives took Jadyn and I to two different states.  I stayed in Utah, and Jadyn moved to Illinois.  We are blessed, however, with a family that believes in being together.  We often traveled back to Arizona for family vacations.  I looked forward to these summers because it meant I would see Jadyn again.  Even after years apart coming back together was natural.  It was as though we had never been separated.

Unfortunately, Jadyn and I suffered the awkwardness of preteen years without the support of one another.  Fortunately, I don't think we realized how awkward we were.  And we still had summers to come together.  I loved listening to Jadyn's rebellious middle school stories.  I wanted to be her.  She was the coolest middle schooler I knew.  Here's proof:

Seriously, how cool are we?

Somehow, we both survived middle school, and then one day in high school I found out that Jadyn would be moving to Pennsylvania.  After years of only seeing her every few summers I would now get to go to school with her everyday.  I was so excited.  Jadyn hated every second of it, which was hard, but I can't even begin to describe how much it meant to have her living close to me.  

 

We then got to celebrate the important step of graduating high school together.

And then we went to college together.  Throughout our college years we only grew closer and closer together.  She helped me through every difficult time in my life, and I tried as hard as I could to help her through hers.  We made the same friends, and this year, for the first time since high school we are living in the same house together.  I get to see her everyday and it's a strength to me.

And then Sean came along, and on Thursday they got engaged.  Words cannot describe how happy, excited, and scared I am all at the same time with this wonderful news.  I've had Jadyn all to myself for 21 years, and now it's time to give her away to the most wonderful man, Sean McGrath.  I'm honestly not ready, but I know that she is, and I once heard "if you love them, let them go."  And if there's anyone I trust to let her go to it's Sean.  I love you Jadyn.  You are my best friend in the whole world.  And Sean, I love you too.  I'm excited for the future you are about to start together.  Congratulations on your engagement and future happiness.

Love, 

Liz

P.S. Don't worry guys... just because you're getting married doesn't mean you're rid of me.  I will always be creeping somewhere in the background, whether you like it or not ;)