To my dearest mom and dad, ma and pops, mother and father,

You guys are the reason I'm here today. Literally, I would not be here physically without the existence with you two. But also, I wouldn't be here, sitting in a college dorm room, chasing my dreams of being a journalist, typing on a fancy top-of-the-line laptop without your love, care, guidance, and *ahem* finances. So this is my letter to you, to say thank you. Thank you for birthing me and shaping me into the slightly above average person I am today (not sure if thats being modest or egotistical, but take it as you will).

Thank you for bringing me into the world and for creating a loving atmosphere at home for me. Thank you for loving each other as much as you loved your children and always being a good example of a healthy, functional family. I am extremely blessed and eternally grateful that you guys never gave up on each other and won't give up on your kids either. Dad, thanks for working from home, instead of whatever fancier job you could have had at an office somewhere. It was really great of you to always be there when we got off the bus after school. I can't thank you enough for all of our trips to the zoo, park, and children's museum over the summer. Mom, thanks for working part time and spending time with your kids on your off days. We called them "mommy days" and they were the best (sorry dad). Also, thanks for being dog people, my childhood wouldn't have been the same without our sweet, sweet cocker spaniel.

Thank you for making me go to church, learn to read music at a ridiculously young age, play sports, read outside of school, and go to girl scouts. It all paid off in the end and I'm really glad I did all of it. Thank you also for taking us on crazy, fun vacations and cruises and for sending me on extravagant trips with school and church. Those memories will last a life time, and they wouldn't have been possible without you. My life thus far has been incredible, and that's all thanks to my amazing parents.

Thanks for moving into a better school district so your kids could get the best public education out there, even though we hated moving and hated our middle school even more. And thanks for dealing with us through middle school, whether it be emotionally or grade-wise, we were all a mess at one point or another.

And thanks for encouraging us and allowing us to have the best high school experiences possible. I can't say thank you enough for all of the rides. Rides to and from school, rides to and from practices (every single day), rides to friends houses, the occasional ride home from a party; there are so many things that wouldn't have been possible for me if you weren't willing to drive me everywhere until age 17 when I finally got a license. And thanks so much for the cute, reliable, and low maintenance car you got me (and i'm sorry for crashing it a few times). Thanks for being there during all the breakups and fights with friends, and for staying up to help me with my homework. High school was hard but I knew I always had two really great parents at home to lean on. You guys always thought whatever I did was amazing (even though I knew it wasn't all that impressive), and that shaped me into the confident, only slightly arrogant person, I am today.

And thank you both for helping me transition to college. Thanks for filling out my FAFSA forms and taking me on several college visits until I really fell in love with one. Thank you for buying me all of the nonessential and essential stuff for my dorm room, including the overpriced futon that literally no one ever sits on. And thank you for helping me move in (and set up that dumb, uncomfortable futon). I really wouldn't be in college at all without the two of you, but with the overwhelming support from you, mom and dad, I now am thriving here. And because of y'all, I now know how to call in a prescription refill, pay a credit card bill, pay a traffic ticket, cook several healthy meals, and change a tire (just kidding but you guys got me an AAA membership for that one). So thank you for all of that, and thank you for easing me into the adult world as easily as possible. But most of all, thanks for always picking up when I call and for being excited every time I come home to visit.

This thank you letter is long overdue and can't possibly compensate for what the two of you have done for me the past 18+ years. I could write five more. I have taken you wonderful people for granted for way too long. Thank you for always picking me up, dusting me off, and setting me back on my feet when life has knocked me down, and thank you for always drying my tears and assuring me everything will, in fact, turn out okay. Everything surely has turned out okay so far, but even if it doesn't, I know I can call my mom and dad for anything.