Dear Mom and Dad,

With Labor Day weekend approaching, all I can seem to think about is how excited I am to go home for a few days. I've thought a lot about why I'm so excited. After all, I am a junior in college; I've been doing this whole "live away from home for most of the year" thing for awhile now. Why does it never seem to get easier to leave our house at the end of the summer? It's because you guys are the best, and I don't tell you that nearly enough. So, Mom and Dad, thank you.

Thank you for always being there. Whether it was taking me to one of the many extracurricular activities that I participated in or holding me while I cried, I always knew that I could count on you to be there. It's a little different since I'm not at home anymore, but I know that when I call, you'll always be on the other end of the line. You continue to be my greatest encouragers and support, and I can't tell you how comforting it is to know that I can always turn to you.

Thank you for teaching me to be independent. I never felt like I needed to rely on others to get me through because you made sure I knew that I was capable of doing whatever I faced on my own. I was never worried about having a boyfriend or fitting in with te latest trend because I knew who I was and I didn't need any of those things to make me feel better about myself. Independence doesn't have as much to do with material things now as it did in high school, but the same confidence and self-reliance that you taught me to have are what allow me to continue to succeed.

Thank you for teaching me the importance of a relationship with God and the importance of going to church. I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't in church. It didn't matter what was going on in our lives, how busy we were, or if we were going through a rough patch, you made sure that we were in church every single Sunday. You taught me to pray, to figure out what was out of my control and to trust God with it. You taught me the importance of being faithful and committed, and that taking time to worship God needed to be the top priority in my life. I wish I could express how much that means to me. Thank you for being an example of what a true Christian looks like.

Thank you for loving me unconditionally. I know I'm not always the easiest person to get along with, but I have never once doubted that you love me. All the times that I've yelled or been disrespectful or thought I knew what was best, you just reminded me that I wasn't as grown up as I thought I was and loved me anyway. Thanks for putting up with my hardheadedness and attitude, and for displaying real, selfless love through it all.

I could continue, but the point is that you guys are the best parents. Please forgive me for taking you for granted so often. It has been a bumpy road, but somehow you managed to turn this mess of a girl into a young lady--something you should get an award for. I don't know what I would do without you.

Sincerely,

Your Nostalgic College Student