The often most dreaded sentence in marriage, “Hey Honey, my parents are coming to see us.” Your In-Laws are here, and you are thrown into a slight panic. Whether they are coming for a long stay, or you are going out for a short dinner, the in-laws are often words that come with a bit of dread. It is often easy to joke about your in-laws, and while sometimes those jokes ring a bit true, I would like to take a minute to thank my in-laws, and all the in-laws out there!

Your in-laws not only raised, but shaped and molded the character of that person you love so dearly. Of course, there are always things that our spouses do that make us crazy, but you love them, so why not thank their parents?

To my in-laws, thank you for bringing my sweet husband into this world. Thank you for choosing to bring him up the way you did, and actively choosing to be intentional when instilling specific values in his life. Thank you for being so selfless in the way you gave of yourself to make him into the man he is today.

I don’t pretend to understand the roller coaster of emotions and intense decisions that make up parenting, but I know that it is the toughest job there ever was, and you guys did a killer job.

You sacrificed so much, in order to provide for my Husband, your Son, and it shows. You taught him how to work hard because you both worked incredibly hard for all that you have. You taught him how to be passionate about the things he believed in and encouraged him to never give up on his dreams. You loved him unconditionally, and instilled the sweetest spirit in him. Above all else, you taught him to love others, and that has made him into an incredibly selfless and giving man. You helped shape him into the man he is today, and I don’t think I could ever thank you enough for that.

Even more than raising that handsome man that I love so dearly, thank you for making me feel so welcomed into the family. I had never really imagined what the in-law part of marriage would look like, but you guys exceed all expectations. I never thought I would feel so loved by a family that wasn’t my own, and for that, I thank you.

I don’t have a relationship with my biological Father, but I do have an incredible Mom and Step-Dad that love me to the core, but I feel extraordinarily blessed to have you guys as a second set of parents. Thank you for truly loving me like one of your own, and going above and beyond to love me so well.

While it can be fun to joke about our in-laws, let us not forget all that they sacrificed and gave up to raise that person you love so dearly. All the tears and snot they wiped, and all without complaint. I firmly believe, that if we let them, our bonus family can be one of the biggest blessings in our lives. Thank your Mother and Father in-law, and really in-law family that you have because they played a vital role in your spouses life. So thank them, and then be intentional in the ways you love them, because they truly deserve it.