If you don't happen to know me in real life, you're missing out big time. You are missing out on the two best people in this world: my parents.

If you don't know my story, I have written about it... A LOT.

I have always been very open about being adopted, and part of that is because my parents have always been very open with me about adopting me. They've always answered every question that I had about it and never hid any information from me. They taught me very early on that honesty was the most important value in the world and that lying would only get you in trouble later on.

My parents taught me how to work my ass off. They never once let up at work just because they were tired or didn't want to go to work. They work hard to give my sister and me anything that we could dream of. They showed us that we needed to work and work hard to get to where we wanted to be.

It's because of them that I have such a great work ethic.

My parents taught me how to love without limits. To love my neighbor and treat all those around me with kindness and an open heart. I learned my sense of compassion from them. I learned how to forgive the people who didn't deserve it and how to open my home to those who need it.

I learned how to always donate what you can to those that are less fortunate, even if that meant that I didn't get that one thing I wanted for months. My mom always tells me that I spend way too much of my money on others, but she doesn't understand that I learned that from her and my dad.

Even when money got tough, they would find ways to donate food to community care and to open our door to my friends for dinner. They showed me that there is always some way that you can offer something to someone in need of help and that it is expected of you to show up and provide for those that can't.

That's why I'm always cooking for others, bringing little things I know that people need when I visit, or waking up at the crack of dawn to make breakfast for my dormmates when I know they have a big test that day. If I have extra, then I give that extra to others. My parents taught me that.

My dad taught me that even when things look bad, real bad, that there is still something to smile about. He also taught me to respect medical personnel, to always thank them and be nice to my nurses and doctors, to be honest with them and to be understanding. He has collect surgeries like trading cards and thus has taught me how to act in a hospital.

It's because of my dad that I'm going into the nursing field and why I always thank my health professionals in excess.

My mom taught me that we have to love all of those in our life. That we shouldn't hold grudges or be nasty to someone just because of a reputation.

My dad taught me to never give up.

My mom taught me that personal gifts are always better than store bought.

My dad taught me how to fix a car.

My mom taught me how to sew.

I have the greatest parents in the world (sorry everyone else, yours don't even come close to mine). Even if I spent the rest of my life from this point on saying thank you every second of every day, it still wouldn't be enough to adequately thank them for all they have done for me.

Thank you, Mom and Dad.