Dear Mom,

College is an eye-opening time in everyone's life. For me, I truly realized how involved and supportive you were in my life. I was so used to just shouting, "MOM!" down the stairs whenever I had a stupid question. Although this may be pretty normal for a mom, you are truly my biggest fan. You supported me and my crazy ideas all the way through high school and enabled me to continue with confidence to where I wanted to go, even when I didn’t know my exact destination (especially like deciding to transfer schools). You were there at every sporting event, every school event, and did everything you could to ultimately make me happy which is so incredibly selfless and I hope that you realize how grateful I am for you, even if I don't always show it.

But most importantly, college made me miss spending so much time with you. All of our fun family vacations (mostly Disney World), going shopping on the weekends, and even just the simple things like family dinners (and your home cooked meals). You are not just a great mom, but also a great friend, and coming home to visit you on the weekends when I'm back in school is always so heart warming. I love just being able to gossip to you about my friends or talk about all of the crazy things that happen in my life. It's awesome to have someone like you who will listen to everything I have to say and not be judgmental.

Also, thank you for always pushing me to be the best. Even though at the time, it was always stressful to have you encouraging me to finish all my homework and study for all my tests, it gave me the proper motivation to realize how important it is to do well in school. I now realize that you weren't pushing me to do well to be annoying (which I previously believed), but truly because you love me and want me to be the best I can be. But it wasn't just in the classroom- you also pushed me with my extracurricular activities and gave me all of the resources I needed to do well in those as well.

It's funny how much I finally realize how similar we are now that I don't always see you everyday. Thank you for passing down your need to plan and organize your whole life (like using your blue notebook) because it desperately helps me in college to have amazing time-management skills. I realize we only bicker when we do because we are so similar that we just butt heads occasionally. But I'm proud to be just like you, and I pray that I can be half the mother that you are to me and Claire someday.

Thank you for everything, Mom. You are truly a blessing.