There's a reason why Kevin Durant made his mom the MVP.

We can all think of a million different things that are moms do, or have done, for us on a daily basis. Think about it: do we really give them all the recognition and appreciation that they deserve? From infancy to adolescence to adulthood, our mothers had to put up with out many different stages and have helped us navigate through them all with patience and love. Fathers are, without a doubt, equally as important, but for now, I'd like to recognize my mother and all the mothers out there like my own.

1. Thank you for putting up with all of my shit.

I know I may not always be the easiest person to get along with (shocker), but even when I am moody and say things that I do not mean, you are quick to forgive me and overlook it. You also had to put up with me and my hormones when I was in middle school, so there's no doubt you deserve a trophy for that. Growing up, I’ve hurled insults at you and tested your patience numerous times, but you look past that and only see the person that I am now.

2. Thank you for being my biggest fan.

Now, as an adult, I can’t imagine how boring some of my childhood sporting events or band and chorus concerts must have been. Watching a t-ball game or a chorus concert with sixth graders belting it out is probably as entertaining as watching paint dry, but you never let it show. You (and dad) always cheered me on and could be heard from the stands. Hell, you came to every one of my field hockey games and it took you until my senior year to learn the rules.

3. Thank you for keeping me well fed and letting me raid the kitchen.

Whenever I’m not home for an extended period of time and I come back, you always make sure to cook an amazing homemade meal and stock the kitchen with snacks. You also don’t complain when I bag up all the good stuff that I can find before I leave.

4. Thank you for letting me complain and worry about unimportant shit.

I admit, many people would consider the things that I worry about on a day-to-day basis incredibly petty, but you answer the phone and let me rant on regardless. You are always there to help talk me through my troubles and keep me calm.

5. Thank you for believing in me even when I don't quite believe in myself.

I fall down. I make mistakes, but you are quick to remind me of all the possibilities that lie before me. Even when I feel like I cannot go on, you help give me the strength that I need to brush it off, pick myself up, and do better the next day.

6. Thank you for being strict and setting boundaries even when I despised you for it.

You may have been the “strict” mom when I was younger, but, now that I’ve gained some perspective, I am so grateful for it. Sadly, some of the people I know who had the “cool moms” in school, specifically at the middle school level, do not appear to be doing so great. You seemed to have a seventh sense when it came to my scheming which, ultimately, prevented me from making some terrible decisions.

7. Thank you for teaching me to stand on my own.

I will forever be grateful that you’ve instilled in me that I should never rely on anyone, including a man, to get by in life. While I know I am blessed to have you and dad’s support while in school, I also know the importance of getting an education and a job that will allow me to support myself. Through your guidance, I know that money and assets are not something you should ever give someone the ability to hold over your head.

8. Thank you for teaching me what it truly means to be a mother.

Whether it was tucking me in every night as a child or scratching my back and playing with my hair when I’m sick, yes- even as an adult, you are beyond the textbook definition of what a mother should be. You both stayed up late and got up early on birthdays, Christmas, and Easter to make the day as special as possible. You’ve sacrificed sleep and (sometimes) even your sanity for my siblings and I. You and dad have never made me question what it is like to be loved. I only wish that those without mothers or those that have mothers who passed far too soon could have the same experience as I have.