When I was growing up my mother and I continuously bickered. When I was a teenager most days I thought she was my worst enemy. I remember her saying "I am not your friend I am your mother." This all changed when I reached my 20s.

Once I got to college I realized how close we really are. I rarely go a day without talking to my mom. I call her to ask questions about cooking or laundry, complaining about classes or keeping her up to date about all my friends. My friends love my mom and get way too excited when she comes to visit. This mother daughter relationship slowly formed into a friendship without us realizing it. When I am home from college I like to hang out with my mom just as much as my friends. My social calendar is made up mostly of plans to hang out with my mom and her friends.

The change between solely mother to mother and friend was gradual and we hardly noticed it. When we stopped fighting, we realized we had so many disagreements because we are so similar. Now we use those similarities to our advantage and do everything together. Whether it be girls' weekend trips, pilates or just running errands, there is rarely a time we are together and aren't constantly laughing. We have more inside jokes and ridiculous voices than most normal friends. My dad thinks we are lunatics, and I'm fairly sure he gets embarrassed being in public with us, but he secretly loves how much fun we have together.

My mother is the woman I aspire to grow into one day. She is my biggest role model and I cherish all the times I have spent with her. I love that we have grown to be real friends. It's really refreshing to not only love your family members, but like them enough to choose to spend time with them. My mother and I have not always had a picture perfect relationship, but I am truly blessed to have a mom that is so invested in my life. She will always be my mom first and I know she will always have my best interest at heart. I could not ask for a more loving, accepting and amazing woman to call my mother.