Pulled from orbit.

I've lived in the same neighborhood for almost thirteen years, and that means that a lot of my role models, heroes, and some of my very best friends lived within two blocks of my house for a majority of my life. From first grade on, Carly and I were basically attached at the hip. We did everything together, and we were even able to convince people that we were twins [it probably didn't help that we would purposely wear the same outfits, buy the same clothes, and cut our hair the same way].

We made music videos together, and did our best to find the world's strangest costumes. 

 Because our parents were such good friends, our families did everything together too. Our dad's went biking together, and I spent weekends in Park City with Carly at their time share. 

 the same same school, and hung out with the same people.
One time, we even donated our hair to Locks of Love together, because we thought that was a good idea. [News flash: It's not. Chin-length hair should never be done on girls with naturally curly hair. #poodles.]

Being in the same ward meant that we were together as much as humanly possible [except for Primary/Sunday School classes, because I'm the youngest out of alllll my friends. :(]. That meant campouts, YW activities, Girls' Camp, Youth Conference, you name it. 

 And then, Car moved to Fruit Heights. Now, it's not that far--most of my friends don't live in the same city as me anymore--but as an 8th grader, it was the worst thing any of us could have imagined. Carly and I had been in the same school for almost 8 years, and now she was switching jr. highs. As pathetic as it sounds, I don't think I've ever been more lonely than I was the first day of our second semester of eighth grade, when I opened my locker and all of her stuff was gone. 

 Even with her in a different school, we did our best to stay close. But time changes things, and by the time we got to high school, we rarely saw each other. We'd pass in the halls at school, and we'd talk. And our junior year, she and her little sister played lacrosse with me, but that was about it. 

Today, I watched Carly give her farewell talk before she leaves on a mission to the Philippines. We've come a long way in the last twelve years. 

We're not the little girls who sat in the back of the Benesch's minivan, eating Spaghettio's and promising that we'd be roommates when we went to BYU together. [Obviously, we both realized the fault in that promise, as we both ended up at Utah State.]

We're not the sixth graders laying on a pile of blankets in the middle of the night trying to decide whether or not we should check on her hamster, Teddy, who was running into the walls of his cage every two and a half seconds. 

We're not the girls who would watch Pirates of the Caribbean three times in a night, or play tug-of-war with a blanket on the stairs trying to see who would fly down the stairs first. 

We've grown up, and we've definitely done some changing. And although it's been years since I intentionally matched my outfit to my best friend's, I can honestly say that a large part of who I am today is because of this girl. 

As Elphaba says in Wicked, "I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason. They bring something we must learn and we are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them. And we help them in return...and I know I'm who I am today, because I knew you. Who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good." 

There's no one I would have rather grown up with, and I'm so glad that I've been able to call her one of my best friends. 

Five houses, two junior highs, and twelve years later, I still think the world of her. 

She taught me what it means to be a best friend, and I'll always be grateful for that. 

She's going to be an incredible missionary, and the people of Quezon City are so lucky to have her. 

She changed my life, and I know she'll change dozens more over the next 18 months. 

Good luck, Sister Benesch. :)