I see a lot of posts online about broken families. Divorces, abuse, heartbreak, walkouts, distance, constant arguments, violence, anger, distrust, abandonment; the list goes on. And my heart breaks for all of these situations. They are real. They are harsh. I can't even begin to imagine what you all are going through in your daily lives. I pray for peace and comfort for each of you.

However, there's those of us with parents who have been together through thick and thin for years, and I think we forget (and the Internet forgets) to be grateful for them and their commitment. Their dedication and work is lost in a sea of recognition for broken families. This isn't to say we should stop talking about or speak less of broken families. Rather, we should talk more about those families that were blessed by determined, dedicated parents that didn't just make it work: they made it shine despite fights and failings and imperfections. So to my parents (going on 25 years this week) and to all parents who fought for their marriage and their families – thank you.

Thank you for showing me what true love looks like. For demonstrating to me that love is not the lust and perfection that the media wants to sells, but rather is putting the other first, being willing to forgive and forget, and making the best of every high and low.

Thank you for arguing purposefully. For keeping your fights out of earshot from us kids, but fighting with the goal to make up and grow stronger. For teaching me to do the same.

Thank you for telling me your love story and showing me your memories. Your story is one of the most precious things to you, and I want to be able to help promote and protect it, even just as your kid.

Thank you for not letting anything tear you apart. Not us kids, not hard financial times, not extended family, not moves and job changes, not meddling outsiders, nothing.

Thank you for putting your marriage before us kids and taking time for yourselves. While that's a foreign idea these days, it strengthens you as a couple and therefore, our family.

Thank you for being a great team. They say great minds think alike and you often do, but sometimes they don't and when you put them together, they can solve just about anything.

Thank you for providing for me and my siblings, and for doing what you knew was best for us.

Thank you for not playing favorites. Even though some of us clearly gravitated toward one parent or the other, you didn't show such preferences for the majority of the time and never made us feel like we had to choose one or the other when it came to loving you. You didn't pit us against each other or against the other parent nor blamed our faults and shortcomings on the other parent's genes (except humorously).

Thank you for making memories for us, for taking us places and allowing us to live life and have fun as a family.

Thank you for placing realistic expectations on each other and on us, and yet always going above and beyond for each other.

Thank you for giving us an example of what godly men and women look like and how the serve in the church.

Thank you for protecting us together from anything, from just worry about a thunderstorm to hurt hearts and damaged souls.

Thank you for being you. Thank you for allowing each other to be themselves and yet still be yourselves as a couple.

Thank you.

Love,

Your Daughter