To my family reading this, I am so proud of you guys.

I know it doesn't seem like it at all, but when you aren't vocal about your opinions it's hard to see it sometimes.

Ben,

I am so proud of you, you are turning into such a good person. You love people and you see the humanity in this world and that's what I love about you. You are so handsome and I am still slightly jealous of your cheekbones. You are becoming such a good athlete and it shows your dedication to everything you put your mind to.

Nick,

I am so proud of you. You are what I thrive to be. You are excelling at school, becoming a person in this world and it makes me so happy you are doing well. You never cease to amaze me with what you are doing in life. You are my number one person and you make me so happy that we can hold conversations about random things. You are always teaching me to be hopeful and I thank you for that.

Katie,

I am so proud of you. We don't talk or spend much time together, but you are overcoming some major hurdles in your life. From your growing family to making ends meet, you are always my older sister to look up to. You are pretty, strong, and selfless. You are also annoying, weird, and crazy, but that's what being a older sister is all about. You know what you want and you go get it. Be proud of yourself too. I wish we could spend more time together, but you have a life and a baby on the way. Don't forget to love yourself in the end.

Zac,

I am so proud of you. You have lived through so much. I think it's about time you learn to be proud of yourself too. You have not only lived through, but survived addiction, heartbreak, the birth of your daughter, finding love again, and rebuilding the person you were. You are never alone in this fight. You are amazing, kind, kind of an asshole, but we love you for that. Be true to who you are and believe in yourself.

Frankie,

I am proud of you. I know you are not technically family yet but you have been apart of ours since you walked into our lives. You have overcome some things too. You are a strong, hardworking person and you and my sister are perfect for each other. I am sorry I put my mental issues over our relationship to make it so strained and aloof, but your future is bright and you are never dull. We need more Frankies in this world.

Mom,

I am so proud of you. You have tried to be there for me through thick and thin. You have always tried to have my back when things got hard for me. You deserve everything in the world. I know raising 5 kids wasn't easy, especially when one turned out like me, but you overcame and shone through everything thrown at you. I know you struggle sometimes, financially and mentally, we all do. But you deserve a good rest and being the strong, dedicated person you are you never really catch a break.

Dad,

I am so proud of you. When you and mom split up, to be honest, I was a bit worried on how you were going to care for 3 kids by yourself. But, you overcame and stepped up to the occasion. You get along with everyone and it's so easy for you to make friends; it's really a sight to see. You make me want to be a better, stronger, person and I would have you to thank for that. Thanks for not screwing up my life there pal.

Keith,

I am so proud of you. You joined a merging family, you decided to love my mom. You deserve everything because I know she is not the easiest person to get along with. You joined our family, you took a gamble with us. You deserve a high five for keeping a smile on my moms face in the darkest times.

Leigh,

I am so proud of you. No you are not part of my immediate family but you are my best friend. We overcame a lot together. You were this shy, awkward human when I met you and over the past 8 months you blossomed into a beautiful person. You taught me to love my life because it's the only one I have. Believe me when I say, you are the most important person to me and you'll always have my full support in whatever you do. You have problems going on in your life, bad problems, but you never have to face them alone and you are so strong for trying. I am so proud of you.

Finally I am proud of myself.

I overcame a lot myself. I overcame depression, suicidal thoughts, body shamming, my rebellious phase, and my need to want more. I learned to accept the life I was given, to live it to the fullest. I am beautiful and wanted, I will struggle with depression and anxiety at times, but I learned to avoid those situations to the best of my ability. Me believing in myself took a lot of work. But, it's all because of you guys and your impact on me.

The pictures chosen are some of your proudest moments in my book. Embrace who you aren't, makes it a lot easier to remember who you are.