My sweet mommy,

By the time you read this, I will have just finished putting the final pictures on my wall and I am most likely debating whether or not I am actually capable of waking up in time for my 8 a.m. class on Wednesday. Even though I am beyond excited to begin my sophomore year, it was still hard to say goodbye to the family. Maybe that’s normal, maybe it’s just my personality- for I’ve never been good at saying goodbye- but nothing can change the fact that I am going to miss you more than anything in this world. And I’d like to tell you why.

Mama, you are the graceful gust of wind that passes through me when my brain is ready to explode, encouraging me to take a deep breath. You are the pitter-patter of rain droplets cascading against the side of the house, reminding me it’s time to take a break and rest. You are the sparkles of sunshine that peak through my window, wishing me a good day. And you are the freckles of lemonade that make my heart happy, reassuring me that you’ll always be a phone call away.

Even though we will be apart for big things like birthdays and first days of school, all I can think of is how excited I will be when we are reunited in a couple weeks and I will be able to see your radiant face and feel your tender embrace. And over a long break (like Christmas vacation) we can go back to our endless Target runs, continuous Pinterest dates and late night snuggles.

I know I'll be okay. I've already done it once, right? And last year turned out more amazing than I could have ever imagined. College can be scary but you and daddy "have given me all the tools I need to be successful." Because of you, I am studious, hardworking and I love to learn. And I finally have an amazing group of girls who support me every day. Don't ever doubt that you and daddy didn't prepare me for this moment because you absolutely did. I'm ready for this.

But more importantly, I know that you'll be okay. You've already done it once, right? And you have "all the tools you need to be successful" too; you can text, call and FaceTime whenever you miss me. I appreciate that you are always willing to listen to my stories, give me advice and encourage me to take risks. And to keep your mind and heart occupied until I return, you have an entertaining son, a devoted husband and a demanding job that need you just as much as I do.

You are a compassionate educator, a driven assistant principal, a loving wife, a supportive sister, a caring daughter, but above all else you are the most amazing mother in the whole wide universe. And before you accuse me of a biased opinion because I get to call you my amazing mother, just know that every single person that reads this is going to agree with me. And I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a constant pillow of support, a blooming bouquet of encouragement and a tender truffle of love.

You have taught me to stand up for myself and feel confident in the decisions I make. You have taught me to accept the ways in which my past gives me control of my future. You have taught me to follow my heart even when it's telling me all the wrong things and that it's okay if I don't have life figured out every moment of every day.

You have been my inspiration for as long as I can remember. I'm going to college because I can't wait to become a teacher just like you. So even though leaving you breaks my heart, you have shown me the path that I want to take and I am determined to make a difference just like you have, with grace and compassion. All I can hope is that someday I have a daughter, students and a community that love me like yours love you; and I'm already taking the first step. Thank you for giving me the strength to complete this part of my journey. I promise I'll make you proud, mommy.

I love you most,

Your little love