Dear Mom,

Thank you.

Thank you for believing in me and always reassuring me that life will work out the way it is supposed to. Thank you for always being willing to talk to me on the phone (even when you know half of the conversation will be me complaining about something unimportant). Thank you for encouraging me to do my best and to try new things.

I love myself and am proud of who I am because of you. Thank you for supporting all of my decisions in life even when you thought they were too far-fetched. You let me make mistakes and have failures in order to see me grow so thank you for that too. Thank you for being there for me when I was down and helping me find my way back up.

Thank you for having another child. I know there are many times I complain about him and I always said I wanted a puppy instead, although that may be true, he truly has become an important figure in my life. He is not only my little brother but he has also become my friend. So thank you for not stopping after having me.

Thank you for all the times you had to drive me around town and even other states. Whether it be to go to a friends house, to attend a sporting event, practice, a play or even rehearsal, you were always there. Thank you for always being there to cheer me on when scheduling allowed you to. I may not have shown you I was happy you were there but you do not know how much it meant to me to see you in the crowd.

Thank you for being there through my two graduations. High school and college. I could not be happier knowing that you were in the crowd waiting for me to cross the stage. Thank you for all the times you had to go with me to find dresses. Whether it was for homecoming, formals, prom or anything else, you were always willing to take me (and some friends) shopping for the dresses. I realize how tough it is to bring teenage girls shopping so thank you.

Thank you for being there for me when I had fights with my friends. Thank you for telling me that everything was going to work out the way it was supposed to. Thank you for allowing me to cry about it even if when you thought I was over reacting.

Thank you for all the times you yelled at me. I know that I made it seem as though I hated you after yelling at me (especially when I would stomp up the stairs and slam my door) but I now realize that you were just trying to make me realize what it takes to be a decent human. So thank you for all the times you yelled at me. I am truly a better person because of it.

Thank you for letting me go to my first choice college. Even though it is expensive to attend an out-of-state school, you never once tried to discourage me from attending it when you realized how much I loved the campus. I have found my home away from home, and it wouldn't have been possible without support.

And finally, thanks for being my mom. I know that there is not much you could have done about this one. But I needed you to know that I am thankful that you are my mom and that I was not stuck with a mom who does not care about her child.

I am forever grateful for you. I love you.

- Your child