Make: A cake and a speech. #reverb10

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

My best friend on the planet got married this past August. We've been best friends since the first day of 7th grade when we both showed up on the first day of school wearing equally heinous outfits-- but thinking we looked fabulous.The two things I am the most proud of making this year were for her and her wedding. I made a cake and a speech.

The Cake

I am a baker. I love baking for people, so I knew as I was planning her bridal shower that I was going to make her cake. It took hours, and was worth every singe ounce of effort that went into it. It looked so much like the cake her mom had at her own wedding. It was perfect. The recipe was from Joy the Baker and can be found here.

The Speech
Such a big deal. I wrote it furiously one night while listening to a sermon. It flowed so quickly out of me, I knew they were the right words. This picture was taken right after I finished.

Hi everyone, my name is Brianna, and I am lucky enough to call Erin my BFFAE, or Best Friend Forever And Ever. We've been best friends since the first day of 7th grade and I, honestly, could never fully tell you all how much better my life is because of Erin, but, I suppose when your best friend get's married people expect you to try. So, here it goes, please excuse any resulting tears.

It has been said that home is a place where we are fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted. We are born into a family, our first home, but then we spend the majority of our lives looking for and redefining Home. When we make friends and look for a partner, part of us is looking for a home. We are looking for that place where we are fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted.

My friendship with Erin has been my most constant home. Together we navigated through our awkward teens and our rebellions. We went off to college, we've fallen in love, we've had our hearts broken, and we've succeeded in ways we never even dreamed of-- and through every success and failure we've returned home. I am the best version of myself because of my friendship with Erin. I am more confident, more bold, more secure because I have this constant friend who sees me; and fully loves and accepts me. I love that this wedding is here at this house. I was lucky enough to grow up here too. This is where I have had some of my happiest memories and it's where I have run when everything else seemed to be crashing down.

As you can imagine, I am very protective of my best friend. I have always harbored some serious doubts that anyone she loves would ever be fully deserving of her; but then she met Chris.

I knew after less than 3 month that he was The One. When Erin and Chris started dating, Erin got super sick. She was in the hospital and because I couldn't be there, Chris sent me daily updates on her status. Not just what the doctor said, but how Erin was dealing with everything. Early on two things became very apparent: 1. that Chris adored Erin. And 2, that Chris understood how important Erin is to me.

Now, let me tell you what the greatest thing in the world is. Watching your best friend be in love. Watching Erin change within her relationship with Chris has been awe inspiring. There is a quote about how real freedom comes from a committed and secure love. You have have the confidence to reach higher than you ever imagined, because you 100% trust that you have found your soul mate and he is waiting for you if you fall. My best friend, who has always been the best person I know, has become even better with Chris. She's blossomed and grown into this amazingly confident, smart, and beautiful woman. What has become clear is that Erin has found her home in Chris. She is fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted. And I couldn't be happier for her.

Ten years ago, when Erin and I were 14ish we really liked the Disney Channel. Specifically we really liked the show "Boy Meet's World". Anyways, the main character, Corey, finally marries his life-long love, Topanga. Corey's best friend Shawn interrupts the reception to explain why he and Corey have been non-stop fighting about the wedding. Needless to say, Erin and I both cried the first time we saw it and vowed that whichever of us who got married first would get the "Boy Meet's World Toast" at their wedding. We've had in transcribed for years. And because I keep my promises, even ones made in high school, here is the toast that touched Erin and I that fateful night over ten years ago (with the appropriate name changes):

Erin and I have been best friends all our lives. And, um, this wedding’s been kinda hard for me because I know, no matter how much we may avoid talking about it, Erin and I aren’t gonna be best friends forever. Things are changing between us. Things have always been changing. We’ve had to deal with life… and death. And Feeney. But no matter what we faced, we always faced it together. So then how can we possibly be upset with each other on her wedding day? Well, it’s because deep down, I think Erin and I both know that we’re not gonna be best friends anymore. (Long pause) And that’s the way it should be. So this is to Chris. Erin's husband… and new best friend. Take care of her okay?

This post is a part of #reverb10. Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. The end of the year is an opportunity to reflect on what’s happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead.

You should join, whether you’re a daily blogger, a sometimes-blogger, or a I-don’t-blog-but-I-keep-a-mean-journal-er. You can participate by clicking here.