Mom & Dad,

As I sat in my room thinking of a topic to write about, I was thinking about things that are very important to me, the first thing that came to mind was my family, especially you two.

So here I am at the University of Dayton, the place where on the first day of the 1987 academic year, a freshman guy from the suburbs of Washington, DC walked past a freshman girl from upstate New York and complimented her on her Pink Floyd t-shirt. That one small interaction led to a friendship, which a few years later turned into a relationship, and then in 1995, a marriage.

On July 1, 1996, you two went from being Jack and Coleen, to Mom and Dad. I came into this world three months early to two parents clinging on to a sliver of hope that I would survive. Well, here I am. I guess I was just super excited to meet the incredible parents that I was blessed with.

You two are my biggest heroes, I have always looked up to you guys and I know I always will. You have raised me to treat every person with respect, to be a good role model for my younger siblings, to have fun, to have integrity and work hard, to have a sense of humor, and countless other lessons that have shaped me into the person I am today.

Whether it was teaching me how to walk, ride a bike or drive a car, you guys were very helpful. Well, okay maybe that last sentence isn't completely true; they usually consisted of mom freaking out about everything, but it worked out.

Another aspect of what makes you such great parents is your sense of humor. Whether it be in the elevator during move out freshman year, at home when friends are over, or on social media, you guys have an uncanny ability to embarrass me at the most inconvenient times. Between mom's attempts at texting and listening to every Drake song on Views, and dad asking every person within a 50 mile radius of Dayton if they know Jake Murray, I'm pretty sure I've seen it all. I may not have gone to Disney World (even though you said we would go when Matthew was older, he's 13 now), I may have never convinced you to get me a puppy (although not from a lack of trying), but I don't know many parents who take their kid to Tim's or makes friends with a house of senior girls on their son's move-in day, but that right there is what sets you two apart.

Growing up I always had friends tell me that I had "cool parents" and I never believed them, but now I can say with 100 percent certainty that I have some really cool parents and I'm beyond blessed to have you two in my life because there are a lot of people that are not as lucky. I love you guys so much and I will never be able to thank you enough for everything you have done for me in my life. I have learned so much from you two, and I know your parents did a great job raising you like you have done with me. I hope that someday down the road (like way down the road) me and my future wife can parent our kids like you two have, except with a puppy.

Love,

Jake