My mom was the first person to know me. She was the first to feel me, the first to feed me, the first to hug me. Since the day I was born, she has loved me endlessly. My wants, my needs have been hers. She is so selfless and has taught me so much. Now that I am an adult (somehow) , my gratitude has grown, and my annoyance has faded. (Teenage angst, am I right?) My mom is my best friend, my favorite human, my person, and I never seem to thank her enough.
1. Thank you for making your hugs feel like home. I love nothing more than a good hug from you. Even though I'm taller now and my head doesn't quite fit on your shoulder perfectly, your hugs are the best.
2. Thank you for answering all my questions. I know you've tried to teach me how to be a functional human being, but life is still a struggle. Thank you for always answering my random questions about how to cook vegetables, what brand of shampoo we usually get and what to do when I'm stranded on the side of a road because a rental car broke down. Somehow, you always know the answer to every question I have.
3. Thank you for teaching me to love myself. I have never once doubted my self-worth. Your praise, your belief in me has given me more motivation and respect for myself than I can even explain. You never fail to remind me how beautiful I am, inside and out. You taught me that being kind, smart, funny and having love are all important and all me. I love myself because you love me.
4. Thank you for doing my laundry and cooking me real food for the first 18 years of my life. I have a newfound appreciation for you for this. When I get home from work or class, there is no way I have the energy to cook a meal for six people. Sometimes, I'm even too tired to cook easy mac. I don't know how you came home after work every day and cooked dinner for our family. Same with laundry. It's horrible and never-ending. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Feel free to do it when I come and visit; it would be even more appreciated.)
5. Thank you for loving me, no matter what. I am not always an easy person to love. I know, but I know your love for me is unwavering. No matter what I do or what I say, I am loved by you. I know I will never be alone.
6. Thank you for believing in me. My passions became your passions. Thank you for making my interests your life. Thank you for being a soccer mom, for supporting me in all that I do, for pushing me to climb the mountains that lead to my dreams and for catching me when I fall. I would not be fearless or brave if I did not have you as my safety net.
7. Thank you for teaching me to take responsibility for my actions. No one is perfect, but for some reason, we all try to act like we are. We all make horrible decisions, and we all mess up. You taught me to own up to my mistakes, so I can learn from it and move on. A person with true strength can say, "I f*cked up. I am sorry. I will do better."
8. Thank you for giggling with me. I think I have giggled with you my entire life, and it's still music to my ears. I love that little twinkle you get in your eyes. I love your smile wrinkles. I want them when I'm older, too. It shows all the joy you've had in your life. I am happy to add to that.
9. Thank you for teaching me to stand up for myself. You are such a strong woman. You work hard, and you ask for what you deserve. I have learned so much from watching you, mom, from the way you carry yourself to your non-stop work ethic and your drive. Being a woman is special and unique, and you have never made me feel like I am less than anyone else. You taught me to stand up for what I believe in and what I deserve and to never apologize for who I am.
10. Thank you for teaching me that life is not fair. You used to have to remind me of this, all the time, especially when my siblings would get to do something that I couldn't. I know life is not meant to be fair. Life is life, and we just do the best we can with what we have. If life was fair, it would be boring. Thank you for teaching me to not focus on things I cannot change.
11. Thank you for knowing me. You know me better than I know myself, I swear. Thank you for knowing when I just need to sit and read in silence. Thank you for knowing when I am stressed. Thank you for knowing when I am anxious or telling me what is actually bothering me, even when I thought everyone was just being mean. Thank you for loving me all the same.
12. Thank you for teaching me to roll with the punches. Life doesn't always work out how we want it to or how we planned. However, true strength comes from acknowledging this and choosing to find happiness, anyway. Making hard decisions is a part of life, and I don't blame you for any you have made. I know my siblings and I have always been your priority, and I could not ask for a better mother.
13. Thank you for being my number one fan. Thank you for being my biggest cheerleader, for answering my phone calls at all hours, for crying with me, for smiling with me and for all the years of endless love. I cannot thank you enough for all the sacrifice and all the life you have given me.
