My parents divorced when I was six years old. It was never an easy thing to deal with growing up, but I am confident that it has made a huge impact on who I am today.

Being a child of divorce is different for everyone that goes through it, but for me, I know that it was how my life was supposed to be.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I know that you thought getting married was the right thing to do when I came along, but I think we all can agree that getting divorced was the thing that was necessary to send everyone on the paths they needed to be on in life.

First and foremost, thank you for my little brother. The biggest pain and blessing in my life, the child I felt like was my own at times, and the brat that I couldn’t escape at others.

Going back and forth between the two of you was hard to get used to, and I think that it was harder for him than it was for me, but it created a bond between the two of us that will never be broken.

Without your choice to separate, you would have never met my stepdad and my stepmom. The roads to have these two in my life were at times long and bumpy, but you two finding someone to make each of you happy completed our families.

Because of the people that you found to spend the rest of your lives with, I have been given four more siblings. Two stepsiblings, whom I love dearly, and two little sisters, which I had been dreaming of since my little brother was born.

I love all of my siblings and have a relationship with all of them that I wouldn’t trade for the world. However, I do have to give a special thank you for my little sisters.

Having a little girl look up to you and love you unconditionally is a huge responsibility and I am so grateful for it. I love spending time with them and am so lucky for the endless laughs they provide me.

There probably was a time that I wished that I could live a life where my parents were happily married and I would know what it felt like to live in one house and know what it felt like to grow up with my parents together. How could I ever give up what I am now so lucky to have? Not everyone is as fortunate as I am to have two wonderful sets of parents.

Mom and Dad, please know that the hard work you do for your families doesn’t go unnoticed and that you are appreciated and loved more than you know.