Without you guys, I wouldn't be me.

Cathedral drive... I was lucky enough to grow up in one static place. When I was really young, I never thought much about where my house was placed, and whose houses were placed around mine, until I turned about 6. My house was smack dab in the middle of the (left side of the) street, and my street was the main route to a 7 street neighborhood. I grew up the youngest of 3, with the age gap being by 8, and 10 years, so my parents believed it was necessary that I made friends young, and could grow with them to form life long friendships. That was the greatest decision my parents could have made for me. I gradually made friends with all of the kids on my street, and sooner rather than later the entire neighborhood knew each other. A entire knew family was born, and to all of its beautiful and amazing members, I could not thank you enough for the life that you have all helped me create. But I sure can try.

So... to the girls,

Thank you for being my sisters. Older, or younger, you became the other branches of my small family tree, not just to me but to my parents, and even siblings as well. The endless amounts of summer nights that we begged and begged for our parents to let us sleep at whoever's house it wasn't the night before, and the tears that came from the nights we finally had to split up, as if we weren't going to all be together again the second we woke up, were everything to me. Nothing could possibly compare to the memories we made, whether it was from playing games outside late at night, sleeping in a camper because our parents were sick of us keeping them up in the houses every single night, playing on the trampoline, swimming, riding the quad, or whatever else we managed to brain up all throughout our childhoods. There isn't anything I love more than the friendships we built with one another. We were there through every milestone in life, and I know I can count on all 3 of you to stand beside me on my wedding day, screaming in the waiting room when I have my kids, and causing havoc, and cracking jokes at my funeral. I love you all more than anything, you really are and always have been my unbiological sisters.

To the moms,

Thank you for being the parent I need in the moment. Whether you are being the mean one, saying "no" to us, or telling us to stop doing whatever stupid thing we were doing. Or whether you were the one coughing up the money for the ice cream man, or giving us a ride wherever, or you were the one who caved into letting us have our 5th sleepover in a row. You moms are the best 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th moms I could ever dream up. The amounts of advice, or massages, or extra towels, and food you all could provide was endless. You had all the right answers, and you were the moms to run to if I couldn't run straight to my own. You welcomed me into your homes without a second thought, and they all turned into my own. You added me onto all of your families, and my life would never be the same if you didn't.

To the brothers,

Thanks for being my buddies. Thanks for always letting me interrupt your video games to be annoying for no reason. Thank you for breaking up the few cat fights there were, thanks for picking up the heavy stuff, and building awesome snow forts. Thanks for letting us be brats and get our ways, and thanks for showing us all the cool new things you guys did, and including us. Thanks for evening out teams, and not going easy on us. Thanks for letting us embarrass you in front of girls, and driving us to high school, and thanks for letting me drive you there too. Thanks for the memories of the nights we all spent up to late outside doing whatever amazing thing we figured out to do. I really, really love you guys.

And, to the dads,

Thank you for the never-ending supply of laughs, teasing, ordering around, and hopelessly bad jokes. If I had a dollar for every time you made me cry laughing, I could buy you all your dream cars, and if I had a dollar, for every dollar I lost to you all in bad bets, I'd probably be a little more financially stable. You men taught me everything I know about everything I never thought I would want to know. You showed me the traits in a father that I pray my own children will get to experience. I was lucky enough to have 4 dads, not just one. The memories I made with you all, will be remembered and treasured just as long as the ones I made with your daughters. Whether you were making us convince our new neighbors that we had an annual Halloween in July every Thursday, or you were making us clean out the pool you forgot the drain out the autumn before, (Yes, I really am going to hold that against you forever) I will never forget the good and the annoying.

To my other family,

You guys are my world. To everyone in my neighborhood, the moms, the dads, the brothers, and to ALL of my neighbors that became such a huge part of my life, it would be nothing of what it is now without the memories you gave me, the lessons you taught me, and the life you all allowed me to live. There truly isn't anything I will cherish more than the place I got to grow up. It is the greatest home I could ever ask for, and I wish nothing less of a place for my children to grow up. Thank you for the laughs, the tears, the support, the food, and the love. Now please just do one thing for me...

BRING BACK THE BLOCK PARTIES