My gift of a love letter to The One and Only Senior Fernando!

Isn't he a handsome fella?

It is February 27th.  And to anyone else it is just a normal day.  But to me, it will forever be my oldest and bestest friend's birthday.

My best friend, I am going to call him "Senior Fernando", only because that is quite possibly the coolest name I can think of, and he would appreciate it.  Senior Fernando and I met when we were both fresh out of kindergarden.  I was the tender age of 6, and was the ONLY girl in the neighborhood.  When I saw a family move in across the street, I was so excited, because not only did I see kid stuff, but I noticed they had 4 kids!  One of them just HAD to be a girl, and close to my age.  But, as I was watching, there was indeed someone close to my age, however not female.    Oh well, I thought, better luck next time.

A couple of weeks later, my neighbor, who was like an aunt to me, which is why we call her "Aunt Barb" even though she is not related in the least, said, "Tiffy, you should meet the little guy next door to me.  He is your age, and you two would have fun together."  I look across the street to see a little boy, walking his two wheeler bicycle.  Walking it.  Not riding.  Walking the bike up and down the street.  THen he would get on, fall off, and walk it some more.  Walk walk walk, get on, fall off, walk walk walk.  "Sure Aunt Barb.  Whatever you say."  I was laughing so hard internally at this boy, he looked ridiculous.

 Later that day, I was introduced to Senior Fernando.

We are so cool

He and I were instantly stuck together at the hip.

We did everything together, and it was the most, best fun a childhood could ever possibly have.  We were together in every grade of elementary school, we had every class together in middle school (except math because he is smart about math and me, not so much).  We were in band together, and french club, and swim team.  We would laugh so hard together about the goofiest stuff. so hard we would cry and our stomachs would hurt.  We would also get so mad at each other, it caused world war three in the neighborhood at times.  We were both, quite possibly, the most stubborn people you have ever met, and fights would last FOREVER.  Like two or three days!  It was terrible.  The name calling, the ignoring each other, it would actually get quite vicious.  But you only get THAT mad at someone you actually care about, right?

We came up with the dumbest games, like "office" where we would literally play like we worked in an office, making paper checkbooks, and briefcases, and credit cards.  We would come up with the most unrealistic businesses.  I was "Tiffany's pots pans and real estate".  I mean, come on, who is going to buy a quality pot or pan from someone who is preoccupied with real estate?  But this was one of our favorite games to play. (along with the required Transformers, Jem and the Holograms, Hot Wheels, and Barbies that we would play.  We were progressive like that.  We did not see gender limits on toys.)

Notice, that indeed, Brigade boy is on duty.

We also had our fair share of embarrassments.  My mom got my hair permed.  PERMED people.  And just on top.  My hair was pretty short, so the top was all curly and the rest was straight.  The SECOND I showed up at school the next day, Senior Fernando started yelling, "Tiffany!  You have a nest on your head!!"  And until that damn perm grew out, I was nest head.  (No freaking grudges or anything Senior!!!!!)

Senior's claim to fame was the fact that he was in Boys Brigade at his church, and he wore that belt, that BLUE belt all of the time, no matter what pants he had on.  Jeans, black pants, it didn't matter.  Brigade boy was on duty.  That and his "Fungi" clothes.  Which I kept calling "Fungus" and he kept correcting me "Fun-guy!  It is a play on words.  It is Fun-guy!"   Sure fungus whatever you say.

We were pretty poor growing up too, so we had limited access to the coolest toys.  Most of the stuff we got was off brand.  Pogo balls were all the rage, and my mom, got what she thought was the closest thing she could find.  The Lolo ball.  This thing was IMPOSSIBLE to use.  It just didn't work. But it didn't matter, because damn it, Senior Fernando and I were going to MAKE that thing work.  Hours we spend falling off of that thing. Power wheels were big too, but of course our families couldn't afford them.  So we took boxes, colored them to look like cars, sat inside them and using our hands, pushed ourselves around and around the dining room table on the hard wood floor.  HOURS we spend doing this. 

We were so close, and so completely platonic, our parents even let us do sleepovers together.  We would run through his living room, and jump on our pillows at the kitchen door and slide clear across the kitchen until his mom made us go to bed.  Then we would stay up until all hours talking and making each other laugh.

Then high school started.  We had a lot of different classes, a few we had together, like english and band, and we were still inseparable.  People later would tell me how much they wished that they had a friendship like ours, and that they were kind of jealous of it.

And then I got my first boyfriend.

God love Senior Fernando, but he pretty much hated every single guy I dated.  I mean, to the point

I was pretty awful at swim team.  Not gonna lie.

that he wouldn't even come hang out with us.  He also wasn't keen on any of my other friends that we were not mutually friends with.  But that is ok, it just made it so that we had to be intentional about our time together.  When  I met the Admiral at band camp, and THANK GOD, Senior Fernando approved!  Because it would have been really awkward to have him in the wedding party standing on the guy's side, if he hated the groom, right?? 

Senior Fernando and I have very very different lives now.   He is single, and is living a completely urban lifestyle, and spends his summers on his boat up at the lake.  I am a mom of 4, and live a completely suburban lifestyle with my van and PTO.  But we ALWAYS make some time for each other.  He has been at every major event in my life.  In college, I had a sort of crisis, and where most people shyed away, or thought best to leave me be, Senior was always there.  Always. Driving though the night to get to my school from his, he held my hand while I cried, he held me close when I sobbed.  He was in my wedding, even though he was pretty sure I was too young, he knew the Admiral was the right guy, and he was so supportive.  He was with me while I was bedrested in the hospital with Your Royal Highness, and even though he didn't know it, he went through the first 6 hours of labor with me while the Admiral was at work, (I didn't know I was in labor either until the next morning), just keeping me company, and talking about everything we always talk about.  We can go for long periods of time without talking, but as soon as we do, it is like no time has ever passed. 

Love you Senior Fernando!!!

So all of that to say this:
Senior Fernando, I adore you.  I am completely blessed to have you in my life.  You are my oldest and dearest friend.  I know we don't see each other as much as we should or would like to, and our lives are crazy different, but I love you so much and you will always hold a special place in my heart forever and ever. We will be in an old person home together causing havoc, and quoting movies that none of the 'yougins' have ever seen.   I hope I have been as good a friend to you as you have been to me, and I just want to tell you, Happy Happy Birthday and I hope we can go out and make fun of weird people together soon!  I could really stand to see your face!  Miss you so!