Thank you for loving me, when you never actually had to love me. Thank you for making me feel at home when I had not felt like I had a home in years. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and not try to mold me to be the daughter you would want me to be. Thank you for supporting me in the things you never originally signed up for. Thank you for making me a part of the family. But most of all, thank you for being my parents.

I had given up on the chance at having a family, I had only prayed for my brothers to find someone to love them as much as I did. I never expected anyone to want me too. I had begun to accept the fact that once I "graduated" from the foster care system and into college, that I was officially going to be on my own.

I will not lie, I was scared. I was scared of what you would think of me, and who I really was. I thought you would think I was too crazy, so I remained calm and unnatural for the first few weeks. I tried not to open up to you, in fears that I would make myself vulnerable. I tried to hold back on letting myself love you both, and accept you as my parents in fear that you would eventually realize that you did not want me. Soon, I realized I had nothing to fear.

You wanted me.

I began to show you my humorous ways, my jokes and I allowed myself to stop walking on the same egg shells that I had been doing for years now. I allowed myself to open up to you, and tell you about my past, and how I was feeling. I allowed myself to love you guys and accept you as my parents because I realized that that is who you are, and I would not change it.

So, thank you. Thank you for loving and accepting me for who I am, but thank you for changing my reservations and fears I had about letting myself finally have parents.