"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what."

My entire life I have been taught the importance of family. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that family doesn't just end at blood.

For as long as I can remember, the majority of the people I consider my family just so happen to not be related to me in the slightest. A lot of the people I refer to as my sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are technically family friends. While that's how some may view them, I have always seen them as family.

"The best kind of people are the ones who come into your life and make you seen the sun where you once saw clouds. The people that believe in you so much, you start to believe in you too. The people that love you, simply for being you. The once in a lifetime kind of people."

They have been there to watch me grow up, encouraged me to follow my dreams, instilled their wisdom in me, taught me valuable life lessons, and have showered me in unconditional love. If you think about it, at one point, these people were strangers to me. Now, they're people that I can't imagine life without. It's amazing to think how such a transition could happen, but the outcome is so much more than I could have ever anticipated. Day by day, it doesn't seem like these relationships develop to such an immense degree. But when you stop and look back to where you began, the transformation is incredible.

"I am thankful for the nights that turned into mornings, with the friends that turned into family."

I will never be able to say thank you enough for all they have done for me. From the family reunions to our annual vacations, there is no one else I'd rather make these memories with. Thank you for helping me grow into the person that I am today, thank you for always being there without question, thank you for the countless laughs, thank you for sticking around when life gets hard, thank you for pushing me to become a better person day in and day out, and most importantly, thanks for choosing to be a part of my family.

I am eternally grateful for all of you, XOXO.