I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was (eight). Jesus, does anyone?

Dear Hen, 
Last school year you developed quite a strong bond with a little buddy, E.  You keep your emotions and thoughts sometimes as close as your skin but with this buddy you've opened up and let more of yourself out, rather than following along with what they want.   You've found a voice and when I asked you about it...the friendship, how close you will let him get to you when others you shrug their touches you told me about how you're weird, he is weird and you can be weird together.  That hit my heart so deep. I hope you are always good friends but at 7 and now 8 I am grateful you've found someone you don't feel judged by or the need to be shy with your personal inclinations and quirks.  We all need to find someone to be weird with. 

Mommy has Daddy, thank goodness.  With E you relax, you don't dig in, you don't get frustrated, you don't get bothered; you just are.  You can find a flamingo at the zoo and name it Bryan and talk about it for months after.  You can visit him while sick at the children's hospital and get close on the floor and bring your spinning disco light to take him away from it for an hour or two, playing games only you two are in on.  

You can wait all summer to go to the fair to ride crazy rides because you know you'll meet every height requirement this year and be okay with the fact that you decided to ask him to be your fair buddy, even though he would rather not ride a single ride.  But your magic rubbed off on him and gave him courage to ride his first big ride, The Sizzler. 

Feeling braver with my fearless boy by his side you road the pirate ship, a real stretch for him.  I asked E after he got off the pirate ship, on scale of 1 to 10, 1 being not at all and 10 being super pumped, how much did he want to ride the ship before he got on it. He said, "A 3!"  I said, "I thought so (he rode this first right with a hat and sunglasses all pulled in close)..now that you're off of it."  A shouting fist pumping, "10!!!"  Thus, the rest of the day was racing from ride to ride pushing limits, laughing together and enjoying each other.  When E wasn't ready he gave you the space to ride on your own, until he was ready to try it too.  You gave him the same respect by taking breaks between the big rides to jump through the maze houses on repeat x20. You were both so excited about your day together when I dropped off E you had me ask Daddy if we could go back to the fair that evening.  We did and an excited E and his Dad and soon to be stepmom were there, too.  Ready to experience the excitement all over again.  You have been good for each other.  I can't think of anything I'd want more for you than seeing you have a close friendship with someone, full of hidden jokes and goofy behavior and consideration of each of your needs.   

Being that you are at the same school and will be in the same class for the next 6 years, at least, I hope that friendship continues to grow and support each other.  I consider this a major milestone for you.  Opening up and letting someone in to our weirdness can be really risky and hard.  I am proud of you that you have.

Love, Mama