Hey Mama,
I hope you know how unbelievably special you are to me. You’ve been there from the very beginning. There are very few memories from my childhood that you aren't a part of. As my best friend’s mother, you’ve basically adopted me as your own. And knowing me, that probably wasn’t an easy thing to do.
You never treated me as your kid’s friend. That’s probably because I never really was. From the start, you treated me as your own. Your family became my family and vice versa. You are practically an extension of me. You opened your doors to me and always made me feel more than welcomed. You let me into your house whenever I was sick of my own, you fed me (more times than you probably should have), and you helped raise me. Part of who I am is a direct result from knowing and loving you. You took a little girl under your wing who thought she was only making a friend, just to find out that she was gaining another mother. That little girl and I are extremely grateful.
You watched me run around your backyard playing tag and whatever games us kids could come up with that day. I’ve had adventures in your house and on your street that I will never forget. You answered my stupid, childish questions (like where babies come from) even though you probably didn’t want to. You helped me with school work when I needed it. You’re one of my mom’s best friends and have always taken over when she needed your help. Every trip we’ve all taken together provided us with ridiculous stories that we can never tell another soul. We’ve had incredible laughs that provide me with endless memories.
You’ve supported me in absolutely everything I have done and encouraged me every step of the way. You’ve introduced me to new things and brought out different sides of me that would have never existed if it weren’t for you. You helped shape who I am because of who you are. I look up to you and admire everything about you. I hope you have always known that.
I know I’ve always been able to come to you and complain whenever my parents or my siblings were on my nerves. You’ve always been able to give me a new perspective and tell me what I need to hear. You’ve never given me any special privilege — you always tell me when I’m wrong and help get me back on track. Hearing that from someone other than my actual mom surprisingly gets through to me.
You watched me grow from the little girl who never left your house to who I am today. From kindergarten to college, you’ve seen it all. Even when life gets crazy and we don’t see each other as much, I still know you’re always there. We’ve grown from mother and child to best friends. Every time we get together, it’s as if no time has passed. We can sit for hours talking and laughing about our lives and reminisce on the absurd stories from our past. You’ve been in my life for every moment, small or huge, and I know you’ll be there for the ones to come as well.
I am so thankful for everything you’ve done for me. You gained a really strange extra kid and you never complained about it once. I love you endlessly for that.
Most of all, you’re welcome. You’re welcome for being such an awesome substitute child. Because god knows you need a distraction from your real kids.
Love,
Your favorite kid
