In this generation, it seems to be quite common for grandparents to step up to raise a child when their real parents step down. This situation is, of course, not ideal because grandparents typically do not have the energy, finances, or patience to support a dependent child. This, however, was my situation in 2002 when my mother was deemed "unfit," and my sisters and I had nowhere to go because we also had an absent father.

So, to my grandparents—and all the grandparents out there that had to step up to raise kids who were not yours—thank you.

Thank you for giving me a place to call home. Thank you for clearing out your home office so I could have a bedroom. Thank you for feeding me and putting clothes on my back. Thank you for deciding to be a parent again when you didn't have to be; I know it was hard enough the first time around. Thank you for being patient with me when I didn't understand what was happening—why my little world was crumbling around me. Thank you for caring about me.

Thank you for giving me a birthday party every single year so I could feel special and loved. Thank you for showing up to my school plays. Thank you for showing up to all the games I cheered at, and cheering for me. Thank you for always challenging me to do my best, even when I didn't feel like it. Thank you for teaching me manners and respect. Thank you for teaching me the importance of family. Thank you for teaching me about love, and how it is thicker than blood. Thank you for giving me opportunities to learn and grow. Thank you for picking me up after school so I could participate in all those afterschool clubs. Thank you for caring enough about me to punish me when I did something wrong. Thank you for buying me a car when I turned 17. It might not have been much, but it was much more than I deserved, and it got me where I needed to go.

Thank you for never failing to remind me how proud of me you were, even if I wasn't the best at something. Thank you for taking pictures of me at prom, even though I hated wearing that dress. Thank you for showing up for me. Thank you for always encouraging me. Thank you for cheering for me at graduation, even when they asked everyone to save their applause for after the ceremony. Thank you for helping me move into my dorm when I went away to college, and for giving me gas money so I could come back home.

Wherever I may be, my home will always be with you. Thank you for fixing my car when it breaks down, or when a part falls off, as it does so often. Thank you for treating me as your own. Thank you for teaching me that the only person in this world I can depend on is myself, because everyone else will just let me down. Thank you for teaching me that if I wanted something, I had to work hard for it; that nothing in this world is free. Thank you for giving me an example of how I should want to be when I grow up. Thank you for giving me a fighting chance.

I know it was hard. I know I was stubborn, and angry, and ungrateful at times. I know I forgot to say "thank you" for all the things you did; I know I still do. I'm sorry that my parents weren't better. I'm sorry that you had to take on a burden that wasn't yours to bear. I'm sorry that I made it more difficult by not appreciating you enough. If I said "thank you" for the rest of my life, it wouldn’t be as many as you deserve.

You are the sole reason I am where I am today. You're the reason I know how to act, talk, and dress like a functional member of society. Because of you, I know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Because of you, I am determined to get a good education; to live a life better than my parents so I can, one day, raise my kids and teach them all the things you taught me. I couldn't ask for better parents. I am still working hard on all my goals and I think I'm on the right track. But whatever is ahead for me, it wouldn't be possible without you and the help of God. So, again, I say, "Thank you."

"Who, being loved, is poor?" Oscar Wilde.