Growing up, I was a difficult child. I was picky about every food I ate unless there was chocolate milk involved.

I'm turning 21 this year, and I don't think I've become any less difficult than I used to be, although now I'm lactose intolerant and avoid any form of milk.

I was born in Indiana, moved to Arizona for two years, and then officially grew up in a small town called Clover in South Carolina with my parents and my older sister.

My mom's a teacher, and my dad's a salesman. I grew up in a normal house with a dog and two cats, eventually gaining turtles and a rabbit and two more cats.

I got through elementary school, middle school, and high school with the support of my parents.

My mom and dad signed me up for every dance class, gymnastics class, cheerleading team, karate lesson, swim team, t-ball team, and soccer team they could think of. Even with their full-time jobs and maintaining our household, they still found time to lug my sister and me around to every practice, game or recital that we had.

It never failed to look on the sidelines and see my dad yelling for me to just "kick the ball" or for my mom just to scream "Go Alex!" Even if my team lost or I didn't win a race, my parents never failed to tell me good job.

My parents are my biggest support system I have, and without them, I couldn't do anything.

Mom, thank you for listening to me and being okay with the dumb decisions I make and helping me to learn from them. Thank you for your advice and checking-in with me so often. Thank you for doing so much for me. Thank you for being a taxi driver, as you put it, when I didn't have my license and for hauling my friends and me around. Thank you for always making me feel better when I'm crying or sad.

Dad, thank you for making me laugh and for telling me I'm wrong and for helping me to also learn from my mistakes. Thank you for being my hero and for providing so much in my life. Thank you for supporting me and for always helping me when I need it. Thank you for sitting through my tv shows even if you hated them and just wanted to change the channel the entire time. Thank you for making fun of me and for always laughing with me.

Thank you for putting me through college and for paying for things I can't afford on my own. Not everyone has parents like you two, and I am so grateful.

I know we don't always agree, and sometimes we argue, but if I were always right, I would have never grown.

Being three hours from home doesn't seem so far, but some days all I want to do is curl up into a ball beside you both while we watch The Big Bang Theory or Fixer Upper.

There will never be enough time or words for me to express how thankful I am for both of you. For putting up with me, for supporting me, for helping me grow into the woman I am today and for the woman I will be one day.

I love you both more than I could ever begin to tell you. I appreciate you both more than you will ever know.