I want to start off by saying thank you. You do not understand how much you mean to me and how grateful I am to have you. This letter is titled to my "second" family but I am lucky enough to have multiple families that make me feel at home. Regardless, this ones for you. It's for those people out there who always make me feel at home, even when I'm hours away. It's for those people out there who make me feel at home through the darkest times. It's for those who love me just as you love your own. This one's for you.

To the family who took me in as a kid: I wouldn't have made it without you. You were my role models when no one else could be. You were the ones who talked me through the hard times. You held my hand, watched me grow and gave me somewhere to escape to when things were difficult at home. You took me on trips with you. You let me stay at your house whenever I wanted. All throughout school you took me in, took care of me and loved me like I was your daughter. No one could ever take those memories from me. You will always hold a special part of my heart because of everything you did for me. I can honestly say I don't know where I would be today if it wasn't for your guidance. From simple things like sending me homemade cookies to giving me lifelong advice, you've always been there for me and I cannot thank you enough.

To the family who has taken me in in college being so far from home: I never saw this coming. Moving eight hours away from my home seemed more like an adventure than a challenge to me. I have always been one to want to go out and explore the world. I have never really been homesick or had a desire to go back until recently. Being gone for a month or two was one thing but being gone for months on end while my family deals with hard times at home has been harder than I anticipated. There's nothing better than being able to get away from school for a weekend and go home to escape from your problems for a couple days. But when you're from eight hours away you don't get that option. I'm sure when I came to your house for the first time you didn't realize how often I would be staying with you or how long I would stay each time. Regardless you opened your home up to me with loving arms and have treated me like your own. You treat me just like I'm one of your kids. I love helping around the house or yard because of that. Y'all give me someone to talk to about my problems and you give me your parental advice, whether that's about school or things back home. I'm so thankful for you because you make me laugh and make me feel at home, no matter how homesick I've been feeling at school.

For those families out there who continue to make me feel at home, I thank you so much for everything you do for me. I'm so grateful to have you in my life. Every kid deserves to have second families out there that cares as much about them as you do about me. I love y'all so much and thank you again for everything you do for me!