Today, I have been thinking a lot about my future; six months from now to six years from now. What job will I have? Where will I be living? Will my husband want to name our kids the same thing I do? That question moved my thoughts from the future to the past. Whatever their names may be I know what kind of mom I do not want to be.

Ashley, when it's your turn to be a mom, these things, don't you ever forget:

Don't forget what it felt like each Mother's Day when all the other kids were making gifts to personally give to their moms and you were making something that you knew your mom would never see it.

Don't forget what it felt like having every mom cheer for you from the stands at your softball games except for your own.

Don't forget what it felt like sitting in your best friend's living room with her mom just talking about everything, wishing that your mom was around to talk and laugh.

Don't forget what it felt like to have your grandma come to all the Girl Scout meetings with you when all the other girls sat with their moms.

Don't forget what it felt like waking up on Christmas Day without your mom there recording and taking pictures.

Don't forget what it felt like to walk into church alone and sit beside a mother and her daughters.

Don't forget what it felt like to not have your mom go prom dress shopping with you any of the four years.

Don't forget what it felt like to be asked at every family event where your mom was.

Don't forget what it felt like to never know where your mom was.

Don't forget what it felt like praying for your mom each night while you held onto the same bear she had growing up.

Don't forget what it felt like to have to introduce your mom to all your teachers because they had never seen her at a parent/teacher conference.

Don't forget what it felt like to be introduced as "my daughter" even if it was by your boyfriend's mom. Or how happy you were to have someone to talk about boys with even though that boy was her son.

Don't forget what it felt like to plan and pack for college all by yourself.

Don't forget what it felt like to sincerely call all your friends' moms "mom" and not your own.

Don't forget what it felt like each time you asked your mom to do something with you and her making up countless excuses.

Don't forget what it felt like to call your mom when you wanted to see how she is doing just for her not to answer.

Please, just, don't forget.

XO and best wishes,

Ashley Rose