I'm at this weird little milestone in life a lot of people call "adulthood". I just wrapped up my first year of college (God bless), I work hard to earn my own money and support myself financially (attempt to, at least), and I just moved back to school to take on a full load of summer classes.

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that soon, I'll have a place of my own and the house i've called home for 15 years will be a place I stay when visiting on long weekends or holidays. As I spend this summer waking up for my 8 AM classes, writing research papers, and trying my best to "adult", I've been reflecting back on life before college and before I started the process of moving away from my parents and home.

I want to say thank you to my parents for providing me with the best childhood I could as for.

From the summer trips and memories I won’t ever forget to the late nights where every single one of my friends showed up and you both embraced the nonsense.

For hosting cookouts and get togethers, our house has been and always will be the go-to for all of our friends.

For taking me to and from place to place when I couldn’t drive and providing me with gas money when I could.

For doing my laundry and cooking me food, all of which I took for granted now that I live off of microwavable meals and wait till I’m 95 percent out of clean clothes to even think about washing.

For everything you all did when i was home, I wouldn't be the (kinda) adult I am today.

Part of me hopes that y’all see how weird it is with me there like I do, and the other part hopes you don’t even notice, because I want you all to be as happy as I am at school. I hope my brother isn’t a complete idiot and spends time with you both as much as possible, because I wish I had done more of that.

Thank you for being kick-ass parents who raised some pretty kick-ass kids, if I do say so myself.

Although my 3-second walk down the stairs is now a 3-hour drive down the highway, you guys will always be my home.