Dear Mom and Dad,
As I move forward into the second semester of my senior year, I wanted to take the time to thank you both. Without you two, there is no way I would be where I am today. I am incredibly lucky to have you both as my parents. Parents that will selflessly do anything for their kids, so they have just as much (or even more) than you did as a child.
Raising me was not exactly a walk in the park, so thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for all the times that you have punished me. It was not clear to me at the time, but I know now that you were just trying to teach me right from wrong. Even in my darkest of days, you both continued to lift me up and push me forward. That being said, I want to apologize for the way I use to treat you in high school. I was ungrateful and could not see what God had blessed me with.
Mom, thank you for all the times you spent shuffling me to games, competitions, and practices. Tumbling practice three different times a week probably wasn't an ideal way to spend your time off work, so thank you for putting my goals first. I appreciate the fact that even with your busy schedule, you never missed a single cheerleading competition. Thank you for putting me in ACT classes. I know that seems like something silly to thank you for, but you making me go to all those classes is what got me into college. I even want to thank you for letting me lay across you (even at the age of 22) while you scratch my back. Thank you for listening and being there for me through my many weekly phone call rants. It takes a special kind of person to stay on the phone with me while I complain about my apartment, school and my sorority. Most importantly, thank you for being a role model to me. You have shown me what it means to be and upstanding woman, so thank you.
To my dad, thank you for showing me what hard work really looks like. I know you struggled working nights for so long. For a long time, I resented the fact I barely saw you, but I know you had to work those hours in order to provide for us. Everything you do is for this family, and it does not go unnoticed. Even though I know I don't say it enough, thank you for everything. Thank you for getting your first tattoo with me (even though mom got mad), thank you for helping me pick out my first car and thank you for supporting me in everything that I do. We may fight sometimes, but I know I am truly one of the luckiest girls in the world to have a father like you.
All of my love,
Nicole
