With the start of college, I have begun to reminisce on my childhood and I wanted to take the time to thank you and let you know how much I appreciate all of you. You have watched me grow since the age of 5 and have seen every awkward stage there is to see. I have always been welcomed in your home and when I think back to my earliest memories, you are all a part of them.

Thank you to my second parents

Thank you for always having an open door for me, no matter what time of day it is. Thank you for having all the snacks my mom wouldn’t buy for me as a kid. Thank you for having conjoined family vacations. Thank you for being strict and enforcing a spatula, it taught me that my mom wasn’t the only one. Most importantly, thank you for raising such an amazing daughter who is my best friend. You are truly amazing parents and have done a wonderful job.

Thank you to the siblings I never had

Thank you for being the brothers I never had and my parents wish I did. Thank you for letting me and your sister pick on you as we grew up.Thank you for treating me like I was apart of the family and for looking out for me as if I was your sister.

Thank you to the extended family

Thank you for the invites to the family parties, and treating me like I was part of the family. Thank you for providing me with a “rent-a-mom”. Thank you for the continuous love I receive whether in person or on facebook and making my already big family, bigger.

But most importantly thank you to my BFF

Thank you for befriending this shy little girl in Pre School and teaching her all the things your older brothers taught you. Thank you for matching your outfits with mine and telling people we were sisters in second grade. Thank for staying by my side even when we chose to have different friend groups. Thank you for being there through everything in life and creating memories that will last forever. Being able to be by your side as you grew into the person you are today has been nothing but a blessing, thank you for being the sister I never had.

I know that I could never thank you enough, so this is just a small gesture to let you know how much you mean to me, and how much I love you all. Thank you for all that you've done for me and for being my home away from home.