Dear Mom and Dad,

At 13 years old, I met your daughter. She was amazing in every single way: Bright, beautiful, funny, and down-to-earth. From the very second we met, we were inseparable. Over the years, we grew apart, then back together over and over again. But never once have you treated me anything less than family.

Thank you, Mom. Thank you for being my shoulder to cry on when my mom couldn't be, you'll never know how much I needed you all these years. Being a member of the 1.5 generation is so difficult, my own mother couldn't understand the world that I was raised in and when I was lost you found me and took me in. Thank you for being there when I had no where else to go, for all the advice I've received, for all the pictures every homecoming and prom and for every meal you've cooked for me. Thank you for birthing such an incredible daughter, my best friend in the whole world. And most of all, thank you for treating me like I was one of your own.

Thank you, Dad. Thank you for the endless hours in my high school parking lot teaching me how to drive forwards, backwards, and in donuts until I knew how to parallel park and make left turns. I can't imagine these past seven years without coming over to do fun shenanigans with you and the family, be it a movie marathon or a new mini-bike. All this time you've looked out for me, warning me about men with no good intentions all the way to the dangerous world we live in. Thank you for treating me like a third daughter.

Thank you, little sister. I hope you know I see you as a sibling of my own, I couldn't imagine a world without you. Thank you so much for all the laughs, knowing you is like coming up for fresh air. For being so young you are so incredibly smart. But that's the thing, you are young and beautiful and it's easy to be naive and hurt. Never let that slow you down, reach for the stars and don't give up on your dreams.

Thank you, little brother. The world needs to learn from you because I have never met a person who is so dedicated to their sport. The world can throw a lot of curveballs, but you never strike out. I hope the light never leaves your eyes and you continue to smile and laugh every day like you do now. You're meant for amazing things, I've always known that. Thank you for being the sunshine on a cloudy day for me and everyone who knows you.

Thank you best friend and soul sister. How can I even begin to describe how much you mean to me? I guess I have to start with thank you for letting me borrow your book. Thank you for sitting in Chinese class with me, learning nothing about characters and pinyin but everything about each other. Thank you for being there through every dark time in my life and thank you for letting me be there for yours. Thank you keeping in touch with me all these years no matter how far we stray from each other. Thank you for going to football games with me and sneaking Taco Bell into the movie theater. Thank you for anything and everything. You're the first person I run to when my heart breaks for whatever reason it is this time. I need to thank you for never lying to me (even though it's only because you're horrible at it) because you're one of the only people I listen to and trust with my whole heart. I don't know how the world hasn't tainted you, but I am so grateful for everything that you are and everything you're going to be.

I love you all so much, heart and soul. You are my home away from home, the bright light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for all that you've done for me, every single little thing.