Every family is unique in their own ways. Whether they have faced several hard deaths, have tendencies to be alcoholics, or the kids come from broken homes, every family is different and ultimately find home and comfort in one another.

My family is no exception to being unique if that's even the right word to describe us. Some may say crazy is a better word choice or maybe a little intimidating if you met the big, bearded, boot wearing, gun-totin' men on my dad's side. My family has been described as many things but the word that I think best fits is strong, especially the women.

We have been through and survived more than we ever thought we would get through. And despite the hard times, we made it through.

Growing up, I was always a Daddy's girl. He taught me to stand my ground and take up for myself. He proved to me that I could get dirty on the ball field and dress up in the same day. He taught me that it's okay to work with him in the shop with a fresh manicure and that it's okay to be a little girl with a side of tomboy and a lot of sass. Even today, I'm still a Daddy's girl but I have found that my real strength lies within my mother.

I find myself on the phone with my mom a lot. Something good happens, call mom. Something bad happens, call mom. Something stressful happens, call mom. As I got older, I realized this was because she was my best friend, my strength, and my strongest supporter.

When I was little, my mom and I clashed a lot and whenever we argued. She always said it was because we were just alike, but I didn't believe her. We would play this game and she would ask me if I was her friend and I would always say no. I didn't want to be friends with my mom. I would always think I couldn't be friends with my mom, that'd be weird.

Now that I'm older, I want nothing more than to be my mom's best friend. I want to tell her everything and talk about every detail of life because she has this way of making everything better and a little more exciting.

I want to make her proud and be the light in her life just like she is the light in mine. I want to be successful in hopes that one day I will be half the women she is. I hope to honor my husband as she does. I hope to be a shoulder people can cry on, and I hope to be the strength my child looks up to.

I am slowly realizing that if I've been through it, chances are she has too. We are pretty much the same person. I love sharing life and figuring myself out with her by my side.

We have this saying that we tell each other, "This too shall pass", which is actually tattooed on my body, and if nothing else, she has taught me that this is always true. No matter how hard things are, how bad life is, or what is happening, this too shall pass, and everything will get better if you just call your mama.

I can't fathom the day that I have to be without her and have to figure out how to be myself again without my crutch. Take every opportunity you have to call you mama and share your life with her because I promise she wants to hear about your day and your successes. Not only call her to tell her about your day but ask her about hers as well, let her vent to you, let her tell you everything, and let her give you all the advice she has to give because one day the good Lord is going to call your mama and you will want to have talked to her first.