Blog challenge day 24: A letter to your parents

Dear dad,

it has been your drive and determination that has helped me to persevere in times where I have been challenged and faced what I thought was insurmountable hardship. You have always worked hard, and even though there were times where I did wish you had been at home more instead of at the office, I have learned what it means to have a solid work ethic built on integrity and keeping your goals in sight to accomplish them. Thank you for being a dad who provided for us and made sure that we had a place to come home to at the end of the day.
Thank you for allowing me to get a dog, even though deep down I knew it wasn't your favorite thing to say yes to at the time. You can't blame me for knowing just the right time to ask, right after major surgery while you were still doped up on morphine and couldn't have cared less whether we had an animal in the house or not.
Thank you for taking me out on ice cream dates, for being willing to take the time to be a coach for my rec. league basketball teams, and for teaching me responsibility by making me pay for my own car and insurance while still in high school.
Even though I know it made you terribly sad to see me move away and begin a life of my own, I am glad that we have been able to stay in touch and I have constantly looked forward to being able to come home for the holidays to spend time with you. There were some times that were difficult, and I know that we have not always known the best way to communicate. Through the years though, I have learned many positive things from you as my dad, and know that God has blessed me with a caring, loving and dedicated father. I look forward to the conversations we will continue to have as adults and the events we will be able to share together as each of us gets older and more wise in our relationship as father and daughter.

Love you dad,
me

Dear mom,

It is said in the bible that God will not give us more than we can handle, and I know by many of the trials you have been through that God has made you a strong woman to be able to endure the things He has allowed you to experience. You are a mom who has taught me to never give up, even when you think the worst has come and there is no hope. I have learned how to be confident as a woman and how to have a spiritual life that is my own and is based on faith and God's truth because of the things you have taught me while growing up. I am still learning today from you, and I know that there will be many more things for you to teach me even as I get older and some day start a family of my own.
Thank you for always supporting me, no matter what my choices were, and for being a person who has been there through some of my toughest battles I have had to face.
Thank you for being willing to do whatever needed to be done to make sure your daughter accepted herself and thought she was beautiful, no matter how many trips to the dermatologist it took. Something was bound to work sometime. Thank you for encouraging me to sing, even though for a long time I didn't want to have a voice. That little extra push gave me what I needed to know that God had given me a gift and wanted me to use it for his glory.
I know that there are times where it is difficult to be able to catch up, sometimes time slips away and life gets busy. But just know that I think of you often and miss my mom just as much today as I did when I was little and you had to go to work and I just wanted you to stay at home and spend more time with me. As Chas and I eventually start to build a family of our own, we are excited to know that we have family, parents, and a mom like you who will support us and be there for us and will spoil our babies as much as you did me when I was little.

Love you mom,
me