To the Best Parents in the World,

I am so fortunate to have had you both as my parents. Although it may not always seem like I am grateful, I am forever appreciative for the love and support you have given me throughout my life. You may not think I notice the little things you do, but as I have grown older, I learn more and more about how much you both did and still do for me.

Thank you for never forcing the bible or religion into my life. Instead you showed me how a Godly life is lead by your everyday actions and love. It was the most effective thing you could have ever done for me.

Thank you for not giving me everything in the world I said I wanted. Instead you helped me find the value in non-material things like my education, experiences and relationships with friends and family. I learned growing up that money doesn’t equal happiness and I’m lucky for that.

Thank you for teaching me to not take life so seriously. When I was in high school every day the world was ending over absolutely nothing and when I got to college I had a rude awakening that the attitude I previously had was not going to work anymore. I would be dead from a premature heart attack if I didn’t learn to laugh at what I cannot change.

Thank you for never pretending that I was perfect. You both never hesitated to tell me I was in the wrong or praised me for sub-par grades. You pushed me to do my best always. When I complained about being “fat” you guys helped me work out every day and eat healthier to be happy with myself. I’m not perfect but you both taught me to be the best I could possibly be.

Thank you for not getting caught up in the drama in high school like some parents did. You taught me to be above that kind of stuff and to this day I hold myself to higher standard than talking badly about others and being judgmental.

Thank you for never forcing me to follow in my older brother's footsteps or forcing us to get along. You guys allowed me to be my own person and do my own thing and although we are very different people, we respect each other and love each other so much.

Thank you for letting me quit the job where I was under appreciated and taken advantage of. You both always taught me how important it was to work for what I wanted, but there were sometimes where “no” was the right answer.

Thank you for not letting me dye my hair, tan, wear make-up, get piercings, get a tattoo or whiten my teeth until I was old enough to make my own decisions about those things without being influenced by other people… to this day I still opt out of the majority.

Thank you for not getting mad when I made mistakes. Instead we sat down and talked about what I did wrong, how I could have prevented it, what was going through my head at the time and got to the root of the big problems. I grew up to be a girl who doesn’t make the same mistakes twice.

Thank you for teaching me that I’m better than the boys who made me cry and that I’m better than the girls who talked badly behind my back. I get to hold my head high when I walk away from people like that because I know they do absolutely nothing for me.

Thank you for supporting me changing my major two years into college. It wasn’t ideal but you put my happiness before anything else and now I’m in the major that I love preparing and training to be the best nurse I can be.

Thank you for never arguing and fighting in front of me. You found humor in disagreements and worked things out while still maintaining respect and love for one another. An example like that to grow up with is absolutely priceless.

Thank you for putting me and my brother first. I know there were sacrifices and to this day I know there are things I still don't know that you guys did to get meTo the Best Parents in the World,

One day I will try to be as patient and kind and loving as y'all and hope to one day be half the people you both are.

Love,

Your Daughter