Dear best friend,

I miss you so much. You were there for me through everything. I first met you before you were a year old and I knew it was love at first sight. We were going to be best friends for as long as God would allow it. Even though I have two legs, and you had four, you stayed by my side until the very end.

You were there for me when I started the embarrassing years of middle school and didn't know how to color coordinate. You still loved me even if I wore a lime green shirt with an awful pattern pair of shorts. It was probably a good thing you like to chew shoes when you were a puppy because nobody needed those Crocs anyways.

We would always split a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after school and I would even let you lick the spoon clean. And I just want to say thank you for helping me trick mom into thinking I ate all my vegetables with your love of broccoli and carrots.

My favorite part of the week is when we went on our car rides. You were the first one I took out when I bought my first car. We drove all the way out to the island and back. Your tongue was out the whole time and when we got back, the whole window in the back was covered in drool. You eventually learned how to roll down the window for yourself and you thought you were in control. If we ever passed another animal, may it be a dog in another car or a squirrel on the ground, you would howl til your heart pleased.

You were the first person to know about my crush and you the first to know when he finally said he had feelings. You hated when I left and someone else had my attention, but when you found out I always came home to you, you snuggled up to my side and never left. You had to approve of every friend I brought over and you made sure you got your belly scratches from them. If the boy ever came for a ride with us, you always made sure he knew who really sits up front and that the window is always down.

The thing I miss most are your kisses. Yours meant more to me than anyone else's. You were the one who truly knew me and had seen me at my very best and at my very worst, and no matter what, you stayed by me. Every night you would sneak your way under the covers and curl up next to my stomach. You wouldn't fall asleep until I got your version of a kiss telling me I was safe and forever yours.

I know you are in a better place now. It hurts to not have you here physically by my side, but I know all dogs go to heaven and you are looking down at me right now telling me to keep moving forward. I can still hear your bark whenever we shake the treat jar. I still have your dirty paw print on a piece of my homework from the other day. I'm sure you miss me too, but I'm also sure you are eating all the peanut butter you could ever dream of. Please know and understand that I gave you the best I ever could. You ate better than me on some days. You will always have my heart for being my first love.

With all the love,

Your forever friend