dear mom and daddy...

i have realized something lately:

i have the best two parents in the whole entire universe. seriously. and my mom is probably reading this, and she will probably start crying now, but it's true.

all through growing up, they were so easy to live with. i have never for a second been afraid of either of my parents. sure, i've lied about stuff, but in the end, the truth came out, and i've never feared them. i've always told them everything, because they've always been approachable. we're a close family, and the four of us (mom, dad, me and gray) have always talked about everything. my mom is completely uncensored and tells it like it is (hmm, sound familiar?), and i love her for it. i love that she never tries to be somebody she's not. my dad is honest and no-nonsense, but completely laid back and hilarious (just like gray). to this day, i tell my mom everything. my parents always knew where we were, what we were doing, and who we were with. when we were older, we had late curfews, or no curfews, because they learned that they could trust us. they made us work, but always gave us money for fun activities. they were at every single event, game, recital, conference, pta meeting, graduation. they would travel four hours to watch a game - even if we didn't play. they sat through countless piano lessons. they always let us speak our peace and tell them what we thought, but we never got away with being disrespectful or having a smart-mouth.

now that we're both grown ups (well, gray is basically a grown up), the relationship we have with mom and dad couldn't be better. i love being friends with my parents. at this point, they're done parenting me, and it's awesome. they let me live my life. they don't call too much, they don't ask about my money, they don't ask where i'm going. they are ALWAYS there if i need them, and they gave me money last week because i was in a bad situation (due to verizon wireless charging me twice for a 300 dollar bill). they don't try to tell me what to do or how to operate my life. when they visit, they don't critique my apartment. they let me live my own life. and i could not appreciate anything more. they let gray go off to texas for the summers to do what he loves and make very little money. they even buy his plane ticket out there.

when we're all home it's time that we value, and we can sit around at the dinner table laughing and having a good time with no pressure of parent-child relationships. judging by my brother (who is nowhere near perfect, but a pretty great guy), my parents' methods were the perfect blend. gray and i are self-sufficient, responsible, smart, totally family-oriented, and happy young adults.

i cannot thank my parents enough for raising me the way they did. they were strict until they didn't have to be. they were my parents until they could be my friends. they pushed me to leave home, because it was best for me, even if they knew it'd be hard on them. they encourage me to do what i want - move to australia, get a new job - in fact, they said to do whatever i wanted to be happy as long as i could buy food and shelter for myself, etc. they tell me to figure out my money, bills, living arrangements and whatever else on my own, but they're always available to give advice and help me out when needed. they have never smothered me, never "hovered," never pushed me away because they were too involved, never made me wish i had different parents. in fact, lately i have become more certain that i am glad that i have tom and janis as mom and dad. they have been great examples of doing the right thing - not the thing you want to do, but the RIGHT thing. they are hospitable and generous - they let me bring carloads of people to their house pretty much whenever i want to, and they feed them all! they are kind and affectionate. they made/make going to church as a family a priority. they never tried to rule over me, but lovingly shape who i was to become. i love them for that.

not to say they don't ever drive me crazy (and i don't ever drive them crazy), but seriously. i have the perfect parents.