This Sunday was Mother's Day, and even though this article is going to come out one day late, I'd still like to dedicate it to my mother.

Dear Mom,

Thank you. Thank you for everything. I can't possibly put into words how much you mean to me, but I know I don't tell you often enough, so I'm going to try. You have been my rock since day one. You are the person I went to when someone at school ruined my day, and the person I still talk to whenever something bad or big is happening in my life. I've never had to question whether I could trust you with anything, and I've never regretted telling you anything. I know I can be difficult to deal with, and I know I tend to shut myself off when things are bad, but you've always been there for me whether you really knew what was going on or not. Thank you for bandaging my scraped knees, holding me when I cried. Thank you for always being there even when other people left me. Thank you for always seeing things in a different light, and for showing me what true unconditional love looks like. Thank you for dealing with my angry preteen years, and with those three holes I made in the wall during those years. Thank you for holding my hand through the most important parts of my life, and thank you for not holding on too tightly when you knew I needed my space. Thank you for staying up those long nights when I was a crying baby. Thank you for staying home with me when I was sick. Thank you for clapping for me in my times of accomplishment and for standing behind me when we both knew I had messed up, and thank you for always being honest with me about the consequences of my actions. Thank you for the years of providing for me and making sure I was fed, clothed, and happy and thank you for raising me in God and helping me grow in Him.

Thank you for being my mom first, but also for being my friend. Thanks for the late night talks and the phone conversations when I'm away at college. Thank you for the laughter and jokes we've shared and for the tears that sometimes sneak in, and thank you in advance for the good times to come. Thank you for making me love books as much as you do, and introducing me to the stories of magic and adventure that helped shape me as a person. You'll always be my favorite person to geek out about Harry Potter with, and the first person I go to when J.K. puts out a new book or story. Thank you for walking beside me even when I wasn't fun to walk beside, and for listening to me even when I was overreacting. Thank you for always giving your opinion, and for making me see the other side of things when I was angry. Thank you for the pictures of my dog that kept me going during the hard days, and for being so understanding and supporting when I told you I wanted to transfer colleges. Thank you for always pushing me to be my best, and thank you for being understanding when I didn't succeed on what I set out to do. Thank you for loving me through every stage of my life and for knowing me better than anyone else. Thank you for being my best friend and my number one fan.

Thank you for being a perfect model for what I wanted to be when I grew up. Thank you for being the beautiful, kind and smart woman I've always looked up to. Thank you for always setting a standard of determination and hard work and for my relationship with God. You've always pushed me to be the best person I can be, and that person in my eyes looks a lot like you. If I could grow up to be half the person you are, I'd consider myself amazingly lucky.

Happy (late) Mother's Day, Mom. I love you so, so much.