If I have learned one important thing while being away from home, it would be that I am beyond thankful for my parents and all that they do. They did not only bring me into this beautiful world, but they have lead me in the right direction. Being at home and having guidance for 18 years was easy up until I reached college. Now I’m on my own. I am my own boss. I don’t have someone to tell me to do my homework. I don’t have someone telling me to clean my room. I don’t have someone there to make dinner for me. I don’t have someone to get me out of sticky situations. That’s my job now.

So here’s to you Momma and Dad.

Thank you for listening to me rant about typical high school drama. You guys always knew what to say to me to help.

Thank you for always knowing who my true friends are before I even knew. Moms are always right.

Thank you for being there when a boy broke my heart. Mom, you always told me I would be okay, and I am now. Dad, you always told me that I was worth so much more than what I had thought. You always told me that I had so much ahead of me…you two were right.

Thank you for going to every sporting event that you could make it to. Regardless of your busy work schedule you two would always manage to come to my games. Even if your other children had games on the same day, you still managed to go to all of ours and see us play our best. I could always count on my biggest fans, you two, to be there. Being on the field or the court and glancing the bleachers and seeing you guys in them would always help me play my best game.

Thank you for being supportive of all of my decisions even if you didn’t agree with it to begin with, you still supported me. If I didn’t have your support, then I don’t know if I would have been able to make it to where I am today. You guys are my rocks.

Thank you for believing in me. My college choice, my major choice, I wouldn’t be able to do it without you guys having my back. Not many people are able to go to college and get an education, so I am blessed to have parents who are able to put not only me, but their other children through college.

Thank you for teaching me to stick up for myself. I wouldn’t be the strong person I am today if it weren’t for you two helping me know how I should be treated. You’ve always told me to be nice to everyone despite the situation because I was raised better.

Thank you for always being there for me. When I needed a shoulder to cry on you guys were always there. When I needed help applying to college, you guys were there for me. You were there for me when I had good days and when I had bad days. You were there when I had accomplishments, but you were also there when I had failures. And without you two I don’t know how I would have gotten through the bad days.

Thank you for always welcoming me home with warm hugs, big smiles, and delicious home cooked meals. I live for the days I get to come home and spend time with you.

Thank you for accepting my decisions as a young adult. Even though you wish I wouldn’t do certain things, you have still supported me every step of the way and never doubted me or stopped supporting me.

Thank you for all that you do. I am so blessed to have the life that I have today. I am so blessed to be the person I am today because of you guys. I owe you two the world. Thank you so much.