I consider myself very lucky to have who I consider the coolest, most generous and loving grandparents around. Yeah, yeah everyone says theirs are 'the best,' but I'm serious - my grandparents are as good as it gets. They have all shaped who I am and make me want to be a better person every single day. I feel extremely blessed to say I have grown up with four incredible grandparents, however, I recently lost my first grandparent. While I miss him every day, my grandpa's death made me appreciate my time with the three grandparents I still have. I will never be able to fully express the love and gratitude I feel towards my grandparents, however, I'm going to try:

Thank you for standing by my side and supporting every decision I make. It's nice to know that as I'm deciding who I want to be and where I want to end up, I will have unconditional support and love from you.

Thank you for sending me Halloween cards, Christmas decorations and incredible care packages. They not only put a smile on my face but remind me just how much you care.

Thank you for basically turning your homes into mini museums of our family. From baby to graduation pictures, they remind me of all of our memories and offer me a sense of comfort that I can't find anywhere else.

Thank you for raising my parents and instilling positive values like integrity, commitment and faith in them. Because of you, they've provided me with a loving home and continually prove to be the best role models I could ever hope for.

Thank you for making sure I never (ever, ever, ever) leave your house hungry. Whether it's a big holiday or just a pop-in visit, I'm always guaranteed to be treated like a queen and fed amazing food.

Thank you for giving me a family I couldn't live without; my aunts, uncles and cousins have all had major impacts on my life, and I owe it to you for holding us all together.

Thank you for always putting family before yourselves and showing us how generous people can be. You never miss an opportunity to provide for others, and it is truly admirable.

Thank you for making sure all of your grandchildren feel equally loved and supported, even if that means going to four basketball games in one weekend.

Thank you for being grandparents I can laugh, have fun and keep secrets with, like Papa carrying two cases of beer to my friend's trunk when you caught us sneaking it out of my house.

Thank you for showing me what it means to rely on God and practice my faith. Your constant prayers mean everything to me and have helped me through difficult times in life.

These thank you's don't even begin to describe the love and gratitude I have for my grandparents. You all mean more to me than you'll ever know, so thank you for just being you.