As graduation grows nearer and nearer and I'll soon be entering the next chapter of my life, I'm realizing just how scary it's going to be not having my parents to hold my hand every step of the way. Mom and Dad, thank you for being the most amazing parents anyone could ever ask for. Thank you for raising me to be the young woman I am today and I couldn't have done it without your help. Thank you.
Thank you for being there for me when I fell down and I couldn't get back up again. Thank you for always pushing me to do my best and never give up, even when the going was at its toughest. Thank you for encouraging me to not give up, because it wasn't the end of the world and believe it or not, everything was going be okay. Thank you for being my biggest supporters, whether I was studying for finals or about to take my drivers test. Thank you for cheering me on, even though I was completely embarrassed, but I also kind of liked it.
Thank you for giving me tough love when I was being so dramatic you should've just dropped me off downtown to perform on stage. Thank you for the subtle discipline that ruined my world at the time, but kept me safe and where I should be. Thank you for telling me "No" to keep me on track and realize that whatever I had asked for wasn't what I needed at the time, you were just 10 steps ahead of me. Thank you for being honest with me, although it was hard it was always well needed, but it wasn't until I started to grow up that I realized I needed to hear everything you said.
Thank you for taking care of me and giving me everything I ask for and so much more, whether it be a stupid candy necklace from the dollar aisle at Target, or nice clothes and shoes that were much more than a dollar. Thank you for spoiling me so rotten, just because you could even when I did nothing to deserve it. Thank you for letting me drive a car that you worked so hard for when I got my license and trusting me to get myself and my sister everywhere we needed to be and thank you for letting us go wherever we wanted to go.
Thank you for loving me at my toughest, when I needed it the most. I know that I can be dramatic and act like I don't care or appreciate it, but I do.
Thank you for my sister. Growing up with someone that looks up to me and watches my every move keeps me on my toes and in check. To know that there's a little girl watching everything I do and looking to me for guidance in most of her daily life is scary because I don't want her to make the same mistakes I did, but my gosh it is so rewarding to watch someone you love more than the world grow into something so beautiful. If it weren't for her my life would be boring and I wouldn't have a life long best friend. It's reassuring to know that friends will come and go, but she'll always be there, whether I like it or not.
Thank you so much for everything, whether it was staying up with me at night when I was so scared I couldn't sleep or simply brushing off and warming my car when it's cold, I appreciate every single bit of it, every single moment.
Lastly, thank you for letting me have pets. Whether it was one hamster that turned into three for a science experiment, or the dogs that have been apart of my childhood, I can't imagine my life without dogs because dogs are God's greatest gifts. It's silly, but I'm serious.
There are countless things that you guys do to make me realize how grateful I am to have had the childhood I had and to have the life I do now, I wouldn't trade it for the world, I'll tell you 100 times.
You guys mean the world to me and I couldn't have done anything I've ever done without you guys, and that will never change, you guys are my favorite people on this planet, and if I didn't have you guys as parents, I would punch my fake parents and come find you guys. I love you more than words and I know I don't say it enough because I'm just a teenager, but I love you.
With Love, your daughter.
