There are these two people in my life that most would call "mom and dad." Let me start off by saying they're incredible people, my role models, and my heroes. They each have given me so much and taught me pretty much everything a twenty-one-year-old would need to know to get through life.

I wanted, however, to take the time to put the spotlight on them both for their own unique reasons. Even though my relationship with both of them hasn't been perfect, they both will forever hold irreplaceable spots in my heart.

I'll start out by saying I'm kind of a mom's girl, and I have been ever since I was little. My mother and I do everything together and she's basically one of my best friends. (That's not sad for twenty-one, right?) I can always come to her for advice about anything and everything, and she has had my back since day one. As she says, "I'm nice until you mess with one of my kids, so don't mess with them."

Moving on to my father...what an incredible man. I have never met someone as hard-working, sensible, and intelligent. He even somewhat reminds me of Walt Disney and the character, Jimminy Cricket; always filled with wonderful ideas, but is humble and reserved, also always there to guide the not-so-intelligent (aka me).

Aside from my mom and dad having great personalities who know how to parent like seasoned pros, they have instilled something in me that always has and will be the same. As early as I can remember, my parents have taught me about God. My father first introduced me to Jesus as early as preschool age, and was as my Sunday School teacher. He taught me not just to pray, go to church, and do the sacraments, but WHY they were important. He taught me how He died for our sins so we could go to Heaven, and how having a relationship with Him is more important than just having a religion.

My mother, on the other hand, taught me how to be spiritual in a different way. My mom has struggled in her relationship with God, and was raised to believe that it is just a religion to practice. However, she taught me He exists through her actions, and not by just telling me to read my bible or asking, "What would Jesus do?" (Not that my father shoved it down my throat, either, but you get my point). She was always there to lend a helping hand, comforted me when I cried, and has made me laugh incredibly hard. He has acted through her, even when she felt like she had failed or was not good enough.

I don't know if my relationship with God would be as it is if it weren't for my parents. I attended Catholic school, but there, that was learning more about how to just have a religion and be a so-called "perfect" person. Like Him, my parents love and accept me for who I am, and that will never be changed. I am so incredibly grateful for this, as I do not know where I would be if I had not known about Him.