Dear Mom and Dad,

In just a few short weeks I will be leaving. I will be spreading my wings and leaving the nest for college. I know you are somber about me leaving you, but I hope you're happy as well. I hope you're ready. I'm chasing my dreams and trying to make a difference. I am scared. I don't know what the future will hold or how hard it will be, but knowing you are only a phone call away eases that fear. I am so thankful for you both and everything you have done for me.

Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for praising me. Thank you for teaching me life lessons. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for buying me things. Thank you for your support. Thank you for dealing with my messy room. Thank you for dealing with my attitude. Thank you for all the family vacations. Thank you for giving me freedom, but also for saying no. Thank you for keeping me safe. Thank you for dealing with my snarky remarks. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even if they aren't funny (even though they always are). Most importantly, thank you for loving me for who I am.

Dad, thank you for everything you have done for me and for our family. You work from sun up to sun down just about every day. You drop what you're doing just to come help us and help us fix what we broke. You work long hours five days of the week just to make sure we can have what we do. You're one of the few people I can always count on. I can only hope to be as good of a father as you have been. I can't ever thank you enough. I don't tell you this nearly as often as I should: I love you, Pops.

Mom, you are amazing. You have done so much for me. You make sure I have a healthy meal each night, and you make sure I get my jobs done (except cleaning my room, that's just a lost cause). You motivate me to keep working on my passions, and you inspire me to get better every day. You are the strongest person I know. I don't think I could have gone through what you have and still work hard like you do. You stay awake waiting for me to get home from a night with friends just to make sure I make it home safe. You did everything in your power to make sure I had a good childhood, and by-golly you did a great job at it. I love you, Mom.

Even though the baby of the family is finally growing up and moving out, I'll always be your little cub. No matter where I end up in this world, I will still call you when I need help or just want to talk. I will still come home and make surprise visits. After all, just because I'm now an adult doesn't mean I'm not your kid.