We're getting into that stage of our lives. The one where you are away from home or starting to distance yourself, but the relationship between you and your parents is strengthening. College has taught me the value of my parents. Their value is more than the money their bank account and how often they were able to make it to high school soccer games. It's so much deeper than that.

If you have EVER fought with your parents, you've heard the phrase "You'll understand someday when you're a parent." What an excuse, right? No, not really. Being a parent is hard; it's something that I couldn't even imagine doing now or in the next five years.

Since college, I've grown so much closer to both my parents and honestly it's one of the best things that has happened to me. In high school, I was the definition of a hormonal teenager. Fighting with my dad every day and ignoring my mom when the walk got hard. Now, I call them to tell them what kind of smoothie I got for lunch. College taught me how to make not just more of a father/mother-son relationship, but a friendship with my parents. That's not what I'm here to thank them for, though.

I'm thankful for the sacrifices. There's so many that I don't know about, but I know they exist. Working countless hours to give my brother and me what we want or even sacrificing their own happiness for me is something that I can't comprehend yet. I know that being a parent is hard and that sacrifices are in call but being a parent is a full-time job. I've come to realize that a lot of my parent's lives got put on the backburner because they wanted to give me the best life possible, but I have to recognize the sacrifices.

I have been so blessed to have an amazing life. I've been provided for, and my parents have busted their butts to make sure I had everything possible to make me happy. Not just material things; they gave me all of the opportunities possible to succeed in life. They've skipped events with their friends to spend time with me while I'm home from college, even if it's us sitting in the living room on our phones all night.

Mom and Dad, I appreciate you more than you know. The words that I've written are just a quarter of the love and appreciation I have for you — words cannot describe how I feel. Thank you for all of the sacrifices you've made for me. I know I am where I'm at right now because of the hard work you've put into me, and I hope that I can make you proud.