Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you.

I imagine it can’t be easy raising kids, but you made it look so easy and effortless. I am sure at many times throughout our lives us children were terrors. Thank you for putting up with all of our shenanigans, temper tantrums and mishaps.

Thank you for all of your support. No matter what we wanted to do, you were always just as passionate about it as we were. We wanted to try a new sport? Of course! We wanted to play a new instrument? Great idea! Whether we were the starter on the team or sat the bench, you showed up for everything. Every sporting event, dance recital, music performance, play and graduation, you showed up. I cannot tell you how much that means, to have a support system unlike any other.

Thank you for all of your unconditional love. Thank you for loving me when I broke your favorite pieces of memorabilia, when I (always) forgot to do my chores and when I ran the car into the side of the garage.

Thank you for your understanding. I know that I can be difficult to figure out. You have always been patient with me. I know you do your best trying to guide me and steer me in the right direction. When I didn’t listen, you were always right there to help me out, no matter what I got into. Thank you for not judging me and allowing me to make my own mistakes and picking up the pieces when things didn’t work out.

Thank you for being you. Thank you for all of the incredible things you have done that I have noticed and all of the things you do that I will never know. You are my inspiration— the kind of love I want to have, the kind of people I want to be and the type of parents I want to emulate. Thank you for being your silly selves and embracing both of your own personalities and my uniqueness. Thank you for allowing me to be my own person and helping me to become such a strong one at that. Thank you is not nearly enough!

I love you with all of my heart!