Dear ______,

You fill in the blank. For me, it's "Aunt Boo and Uncle Homer."

Growing up, I never understood why I didn't get the picture perfect family I thought the rest of my friends had. From the outside, it seemed like every girl's best friend was her mother and her favorite man was her dad. I didn't have that. Some days it never seemed to bother me... some days it bothered me a lot. I never once questioned how thankful I am to have you two in my life, though.

You didn't have to take me. You didn't have to help get me through school. You didn't have to love me like one of your own children... but you chose to do all of those things. You chose to pick up where my parents left off and managed to do it flawlessly whether I understood it at the time or not.

I'm selfish, needy, obnoxious, and a little too much to handle sometimes (all of the time), but you never fail to teach me some kind of life lesson through every "end-of-the-world crisis" I go through.

When I wanted to quit softball so bad half way through the season because the coach refused to let me play on varsity, you wouldn't let me. I was so mad at you... but you told me to finish what I started and to put my best in whatever situation I'm put in. I did exactly what you told me, and now I have that same attitude in college. I look at other people who didn't have someone in their life to teach them the same thing and think about how much of a blessing it was to have you there during that time.

When I wanted to just sit at home on the couch all day during break, you made me get out and do something. Anything. "Get out of the house," you told me. I was so mad at you. Now I can't stand sitting in one place for too long. I never want to waste a minute of this life that was so graciously given to me, and I can't stand when other people don't see it that way. I think, "How can someone waste so much potential.. so many opportunities that just slip right by because they would rather stay in their comfort zone."

You taught me the greatest things in life. You taught me to take a bad situation and turn it into something incredible. My life wasn't headed in the direction I'm in now. People expected me to fail. People expected me to take the easy way out. But you know what you told me?

"Don't be the statistic."

Those words stuck with me. They are tattooed in my mind and they will always be the first thing I think of when I want to quit. No matter how many times I think studying is too hard, I'm not smart enough, and there are plenty of jobs I could get without a college degree... I say no because refuse to become a statistic.

My family at home doesn't look like other families. I'll never be able to say, "mom and dad." I'll never get a normal holiday with no tears or drama with the other side of the family. But I wouldn't change any of that because I have you.

I can't help but wonder what my life would look like if my mom and dad were still together and we were that picture perfect family. But I would never give up the love I have now in return for something that wasn't meant to be.

I'm thankful for the family God placed me in and the obstacles he threw my way. Sometimes it's hard to see there will be good things that come from situations that don't go my way. But I've said that before... obviously.

I love you, _______. (Aunt Boo and Uncle Homer)

Sincerely, your sassy, rude, imperfect daughter that you choose to love unconditionally.