Dear Mom and Dad,

"Thank you" is such a commonly-used phrase, expressed in passing without a second thought. It can be to a stranger who holds the door, to the Starbucks worker handing you your morning coffee, or in this case, to the people who have given me everything.

Thank you for bringing me into this world (a bit standard, perhaps, but kind of important).

Thank you for raising me to know right from wrong.

Thank you for giving me a reality check when I needed it.

Thank you for telling me the truth when I needed to hear it.

Thank you, Mom, for taking me on endless shopping trips.

Thank you, Dad, for not hating us after going on endless shopping trips.

Thank you for being my shoulders to cry on as friends came into and left my life.

Thank you for sticking by me when I refused to heed your warnings about "that friend" and "that guy" ... and you turned out to be totally right. (Life lesson: your parents can spot a fake friend from a mile away.)

Thank you, Mom, for magically finding everything that was thought to be lost forever (no one understands how they do it, they just do).

Thank you for understanding when I was completely lost in life.

Thank you for helping me to pick up the pieces when everything seemed to be falling apart.

Thank you for never losing faith in me.

Thank you for being the ultimate role models.

Thank you for making me the person I am today.

Most importantly, thank you for teaching me to always chew with my mouth closed.

Thanks for being the best friends a kid could have!