You're inspiring.

In a day and age where love is put on the back-burner, while self-interest is the most important aspect in people's lives, you put your own aside to love one another and share it with your children.

You put your marriage on hold while raising us, taking care of the pets we begged for, one of you waking up at 3 a.m. to put presents under the tree while the other stood guard outside our rooms so we would still believe there was magic in the world. In reality, by watching the marriage between you two every single day, it has always been pretty clear there is magic in the world. No matter the day, hour, or year, happy or sad times, you two have stuck by each other's side, with absolutely no exception.

The equal balance between friendship and romance in your relationship has always astounded me. The weekend after I left for college I would receive photos of the two of you on dates, going on all types of adventures together, embracing the opportunity to live happily and simply, every chance you had. And although I'm still jealous you two go to the movies without me, I'm so proud to sit here and know that the two of you are as much in love now as you were when you got married 26 years ago.

I often joke that the reason I can't maintain a relationship is because my expectations are too high after watching you two my whole life. For more than two decades you loved us, taught us, fed us and did all you could to ensure we would grow into anything we wanted to be.

I thank you both for being my parents, as well as best friends, and for holding our family together through thick and thin. There has never been a lack of laughter and rarely a raised voice. I've learned to make light of every situation and find the humor in it all. And while we go off and start our lives, I want you both to know that when, someday, someone asks me who the most influential person in my life is, I will respond with two names instead of one: my mom and my dad.