The Nicest Thing Your Parents Ever Did For You

I saw this title while scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed yesterday morning after class, and it was posted by Tina over at Carrots 'n' Cake, another healthy living blogger. She got this question from the September issue of Real Simple, and dedicated a blog post to her mom and how grateful she is for all that her mom did for her. I thought I'd take a page from her book and do a similar post about my parents.

I am very close to both of my parents, and that is probably the number one thing I am most thankful for. They will always answer the phone when I call, and they will always welcome me home with open arms. Sure, I went through those unfortunate middle school and high school years when I acted quite the brat, but now that I'm so much older and so more mature (note the sarcasm), I have learned how to have a functional relationship with both of my parents. This post is going to sound a lot like my Mother's and Father's Day posts, but maybe there will be a little bit of difference to it. I'll let you guys be the judge of that.

My parents have been my biggest supporters since day one - coming to every soccer, softball, and basketball game, every swim meet, and every single one of my volleyball games and tournaments, even when they had to take time off of work to do so. Just the other day in my UTeach class my professor was talking about how her son did cross country at the school at which she taught, so she frequently was at school over two hours before the first bell rang. That made me think back to my morning basketball practices in middle school, and how my dad got me to every single one on time and without one single complaint. When I didn't yet have my license, but I still had volleyball practices three times a week at a facility located 30 minutes away, my mom was happy to drive me and sit in the main area going through mail and other things while I had training and conditioning, setter practice, and regular practice from 6pm to 9:30pm.

And not only did they support me in everything I did (and do), but they always, always, always fought for me, and continue to do so to this very day. It is obvious to me that they love my brother and I unconditionally, and for that, we are both very blessed. I've made my fair share of poor decisions, and while they may question my motives, they always take my side, jumping in right away to figure out how to help me fix the situation.

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2013

They encourage me to chase my dreams, constantly telling me that nothing I could ever think up to do is too big. They pay for my college education, they give me money for groceries and Anthropologie trips, and they have showed me what it means to love other people well. 

So, while that was not one specific thing, it was a summary of how very, very thankful I am for my two sweet parents, and all that they have done for me in their lives. You guys are the best, and I love y'all so much!