My kid introduced me to a couple of his friends today as "his best friend" and it made me feel emotions I didn't know I could

Short clarification: I'm a guardian of a 11 year old boy who I had met 4 years ago through an after-school care program. He was a kid who was struggling a lot with school, behavior, and home life. Mom struggling, no father in his life (in jail for domestic battery against a minor), and no real immediate family around. Well a year ago his mom & I have worked to have me be one of his guardians, as someone who can pick him up and drop him off at school, take him to doctor/dentist/etc... and I'm someone who has the kid whenever he wants to get out of his house (usually every weekend).Anyway. This morning my kid had a semi-state robotics competition. I took him and stayed there to support him like I normally do. His mom never showed up, she was too busy sleeping. Well in between rounds during our lunch break I was eating with him and his team of middle schoolers. One of the kids asks who I am and my kid goes "Him? That's my best friend". A girl goes "I thought I was your best friend?" and he responds "Well, he's my real best friend. You're my girl best friend"I can't describe what I felt, like a mix of proud and happy, but it made me feel really good. All the troubles that he has dealt with in his life, I cherish that I have made him feel safe and that he considers me his best friend. I love that kid more than anything, even if he isn't my biological kid. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2wFPpnZ