Sitting here, miles away from you, I am realizing what it will be like in a few short months when I officially move into a new place and 'going home' after a long day will no longer mean seeing you two there.

Sitting here, trying to act like I'm an adult who knows how to do adult things, I am realizing that I'm actually so glad you texted me this morning saying you set up my dentist appointment for me because it would not have crossed my mind otherwise.

Just sitting here, I am realizing that as I turn the page to start my new chapter, you will not be the ones narrating the words anymore. I will have to be the one to take hold of the book and not just skim through the pages, knowing that you will catch me up on what I missed.

As I grow up and move to new places, I am realizing how much I relied on you constantly for everything. For a cooked meal, for some cash to go out with friends, for a load of laundry to be done or whatever it was that I needed in that moment. I owe you one.

I owe you a thank you. A thank you for driving me everywhere before I could drive myself, and an added thank you for teaching me how to drive myself and making sure I had a working car to drive myself in-- not to mention the times my phone died and made you worry like it was your job (because you said it is).

I owe you a thank you for helping me through crazy decisions you probably never anticipated facing and for offering to take the blame if it didn't turn out how we thought. Thank you for helping me build a dream I could chase after, even though that meant you had to work even harder behind the scenes. Too many times have passed where you did not get the recognition you deserved.

Thank you for understanding when I felt I needed to take a leap of faith. For supporting my journey even though it made no sense at times and recognizing it was something I had to try.

Thank you for giving me a shoulder to cry on when I got hurt for leaping into the wrong place and for reassuring me that it was just a tiny bump in the road. And thank you for putting up with me when I acted bratty because something didn't go my way.

Thank you for getting mad at me when my grades weren't high enough. As a result, it showed me that if I put just a little more time into my work it would pay off.

Thank you for showing me what hard work looked like. Setting an example that not everything comes easy, but is worth the extra effort.

Thank you for passing on your belief that greater things are out of my control. That everything happens for a reason, even if we won't find out why for years.

Mom and Dad, thank you for being the people that you are. You taught me how to handle the tough times and celebrate the good ones. Thank you for helping to shape me into the person I am today and the person I am becoming. I owe you one.