As I have gotten older I have come to realize that I have a very special and rare relationship with my parents. I am lucky enough to have both of my parents in my life, and still married. Which as sad as it is, is somewhat rare for the world today. I grew up in a home that was filled with love and support, no matter what the circumstances were. Like any family, we had our ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I knew that I was cared about and would always be able to have my parents and siblings in my corner. I was raised to be kind and have respect. To obey the rules but be my own person. To never give up on my commitments and love the people in my life the way I want to be loved. To be open minded, and to always stay true to my heart. All of these values were instilled in me by my parents.

From experience I can attest to the fact that best friends come and go when you are growing up; if you're lucky you have a few people that stick around after middle school, even less after high school, and then an entirely new group of people come into your life during college. But, I have two built in best friends that have been around for 21 years, and really have no choice but to stick with me. Because of them, I have grown into the person I am today, and have come to know what it truly means to have a best friend.

If I look back in my call history, 10 of my last 15 calls have been to either my mom or my dad. Not because they call to bug me or check up on me, but because I call them and just want to say hi! Being in college has shown me that no matter how independent I think I am, I can always use a ten-minute phone call to my mom or dad. I can count on them to listen to me vent after a long day, or put me in my place when I am being stubborn, and even to help me with my friendships/relationships. To me, this is totally normal, day-to-day happenings; but to others, they find it completely crazy!

My friends find it weird that I tell my dad about my boyfriend, or that I call my mom after a night out drinking...but to me it's totally normal. Why? Well, they are my best friends. They are the two biggest constants in my life. They have loved me through my good and bad days. They put up with all of the crap I throw their way and yet never hesitate to answer my phone calls or jump in the car to come see me. They embody everything that I would want in a friend, and it just so happens they are also my parents. A saying that I have always kept in mind is: It is easy to love someone every single day, but it is harder to like them every day.

I am blessed to have the parents that I do, and even more thankful for the fact they want to be as close to me as they are! Not every parent puts their kids' needs first or chooses to be a friend to them the way that mine have, but I am hopeful that the example they have set for me will allow me to do the same for my future kids. I love that my parents are my best friends, and I hope that anyone who reads this chooses to be their kids' best friend, and realizes how important it was growing up and still is today!