I want to start off by saying thank you for the big things. Thank you for the love, the education, the clothes, food and shelter. Also for birth, that’s a big one. But I also want to say thank you for the little things that got to me where I am today. I may not have said thank you at the time, but I am so grateful for each and every thing you’ve done for me.

Thank you for letting me dress myself when I was little.

I look back at pictures of when I was little and I laugh at the lopsided pigtails paired with a mismatched outfit. It seems so small, but the freedom of choosing my look for the day made me feel like such a big girl, which was hard to do when I still needed help getting in and out of my booster seat.

Thank you for making me do the chores.

I am now a college freshman and I am appalled at the way some of my classmates live. Over the course of my last semester, people kept leaving their dirty, disgusting dishes in the community sink leading to mold. I was fine with leaving it until I thought about home; how the dishes would pile up when none of us girls would do them and you would bite the bullet and do them yourself, even if none of those dishes were yours. And so I, too, bit the bullet; I put on my floral rubber gloves (thanks for those again, mom) and cleaned the sink and threw out the unsalvageable stuff. I wouldn’t have even thought to do this if I didn’t grow up cleaning, dusting and doing this all beforehand.

Thank you for cooking.

Being a picky eater sucks. Being the parent of a picky eater probably sucks a lot more. So thank you for making us a million different foods. Thank you for the pizza, chicken nuggets and spaghetti that you had to get tired of. Thank you for the brownies we made on the Saturday nights and the cinnamon rolls on Sunday mornings. Thank you for the world’s best mac’n’cheese.

Thank you for holding me to a higher stand.

In fifth grade I had a vocab word I could never remember, “Integrity” and you told me that it is simply doing the right thing when no one is looking. You did this all the time, you showed me what it means to be a good person and I strive to live my life in a way that will make you proud, because I am already so proud to be your daughter.

Thank you for comforting me after rejections.

When I got rejected from my dream school, it felt like my heart was completely broken. I couldn’t comprehend why I didn’t get in and I felt so lost, but you were there for me the entire time. From the tears to the comfort school to finding a new school that fits me better than I ever could have imagined, you continually supported me and made me know that I wouldn’t end up living in a van down by the river.

Thank you for celebrating the success.

Whether it was a goal in soccer or an A on a test, you never made me feel insignificant for my accomplishments. I knew that every time I did something I was proud of, you were there behind me and ten times more proud. You even put my work on the fridge; the holy grail of accomplishments.

Thank you for having me later in life.

First off, I am not saying you are old. Lets get that out of the way. But you were in your mid-30s when you had me, and by that time you had already accomplished so much. I have never had to worry about you leaving me to go sow your wild oats or try to relive the young and fun years you may have missed out on because of my sisters and I. You sat at home with us and showed us the classics, from The Beatles to "Blazing Saddles." We lived an awesome childhood filled with love and support. You were established in your job and that allowed time for great vacations or days off when we were sick. We lived a charmed life and that we owe to you.

Thank you for my sisters.

Sisters are great because they’re "built-in" best friends. Sure, we fought like cats and dogs growing up (So thanks for dealing with that, too), but I can’t imagine what life would be like without them. As I get older, the more i love them, because we have our memories from childhood, which are a great foundation to the memories we make every time we’re together.

Thank you for the hugs.

When I was a little girl, I knew that the safest place in the world was in your arms, which is probably why my nickname was "Velcro" growing up. I went to you for hugs when I hit my head, when I got in fights with my sisters or when I just needed a little TLC. Now that I’m older, I need them just as much as ever. Whether it’s from frustration trying to figure out school stuff or when we watch a really intense episode of NCIS, I know that an embrace from you can make it all better.

I could continue on forever, but instead I’ll just finish with this: thank you for shaping me into the person I am today and for all the love and support you surround me with everyday.