Dear Mom,

Since both Dad and Blu have gotten their own articles, I figured it was about time you got one too. This also seemed like a good way to give you a mother’s day present, since I’m coming home at the end of the semester and I’m out of money and even if I did have money, it certainly wouldn’t be enough to buy you your own private island like you deserve. So this letter is my way of saying thank you for all that you do.

Thank you for teaching me how to stand up for myself and that honesty is always the best policy.

Thank you for showing me that friendship doesn’t always mean talking every day or every week or even every month and that the people who truly love you will be there for you no matter what or how long its been since your last phone call.

Thank you for modeling a good marriage and showing me that “good” doesn’t always mean perfect.

Thank you for always answering my phone calls and listening to me rant about whatever, even if you don’t understand my problem or you’re in the middle of your own crisis.

Thank you for teaching me how to cook and do my laundry and all those basic human tasks when I was still young. It’s amazing to me how many of my adult friends can’t.

Thank you for driving sometimes unreasonable distances so you can be there to support me in person.

Thank you for always having my bed made when I come home from school. There is truly no joy greater than that of a college girl coming home to her queen sized bed after sleeping on a lumpy twin mattress all semester.

Thank you for not being a helicopter parent and allowing me to fail and thrive on my own.

Plenty of other people will say that they have the best mom, but they are wrong, because you are the best mom there ever was.

Thank you for being an inspiration, for teaching me through example, and for loving and supporting me unconditionally.

Love you the most,

Dusty