Despite all my excitement to be leaving home, I will miss you! I hope that you guys know that you can’t be replaced and that I will always need you. Please do not see my excitement as a lack of love for you. I know you guys will miss my messy room so please, stop trying to convince me you won’t. And Mom, you’ll even miss me forgetting to take out the trash, don’t deny it.

Mom, I will miss our late night chats and the girls’ nights. You are always there for me and I’m so glad that our relationship has grown beyond a mom and daughter one to being awesome friends. As you always say “I’m on your back because I’m the only one that’s got it”. I’ve seen the truth in that year after year and all I can say is thank you. Thank you for lifting me up when I was down and for never letting me stop believing in myself. Also, please don’t watch too much Scandal without me! Elton John said it best, “I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words, how wonderful life is while you’re in the world”.

Dad, you have coached me through every sport and through every year, I have to say I miss those sideline chats. Whether I had seven goals or had missed every shot, you always had someway for me to improve my game. You have always pushed me to be stronger, faster, and overall a better person. You kept me humble and hungry for success, after all we both know that the legs feed the wolves. You taught me to do things for myself no matter what anyone else thinks. As Herb Brooks said “Common men go nowhere, you have to be uncommon”. You taught me to be uncommon, to push myself in everything I do. I’ve learned so much from you, thank you. Even though I don’t want to be an engineer, I can hear your words in my mind before every test “You can always be an engineer” and it motivates me to do better.

You have always told us, your kids, that we are your calling cards. There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do for us and I want you to know that we are forever grateful. I can only hope that I am making you proud of me. You have raised me to be strong enough to handle all the stress of college and living on my own, I can do this so please don’t worry. I know it’s your job to worry but have faith that you taught me to make good choices and to be a strong young woman. I owe it all to you guys. I am chasing my dreams because you, my parents, have given me the wings to shoot for the moon. Thank you, for every sacrifice you have made on my behalf and I know I probably didn’t deserve a lot of them.