Dear Mom,

There is so much that I want to tell you, thank you for and apologize for so here it goes.

For starters, I'm sorry for my sassy attitude as a child that still manages to resurface from time to time. I never meant to hurt you and saying things out of anger is never an excuse because even though I'm sorry the words never truly go away. I hope that I've at least made up for some of the bad memories with good ones because we've made a lot. Mom, you have become one of the best friends that I've ever had and I truly mean that. You are the first person that I call when I'm sad, angry, happy or literally any emotion you could possibly think of. I want to tell you first, hear your reactions and listen to your words of wisdom.

I know that moving across the country put a lot of strife on our relationship but I will never be able to thank you enough for the experiences and relationships that move has allowed me to have. It was my decision to move back to the East coast and I never admit this for some reason, but moving away from you was the hardest thing that I have ever experienced. I was only 17 and I guess I didn't take into consideration that fact that I wouldn't be able to hug you every morning or tell you about my day over a glass of iced tea by the pool. It's the little things that I miss the most like our Saturday brunches at Mimi's and the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" marathons that took place on a daily basis. I am so thankful for our nightly phone calls because they make the 2,767 miles apart (which is the exact distance from my apartment to your house) much more tolerable.

Thank you for making our house a place that my friends can call home. You make all of them feel like your own children and they love you for that. I always knew you were a cool mom even way back when we used to jam out to The Spice Girls and Five. Remember when I tried to be Sporty Spice and got a bead stuck up my nose because I wanted it pierced like hers? Fun times. And then there was that time we went to the Waffle House's grand opening in our pajamas and thought we were hilarious. We also used to play those games in the car picking out our favorite houses that we would want to live in and taking random turns to see where we wound up. One of my first memories ever is when you took me to see "A Bug's Life" in the movie theaters. You made sure to be very present in my childhood and I am incredibly grateful for that.

I'm sorry for my harsh tone I tend to get when conversations get a little heated, you know I have the hot Italian temper. I only get so upset because I care about you and if anyone hurts you I go into defense mode and the anger takes over. I'm working on it just so you know. I may not understand your reasoning for certain choices you've made but I've come to realize that instead of giving you my opinions I just need to be there for you and stand by your side no matter what. I hope you know that I always want the best for you because you are a precious gem that deserves the world and if I don't think you're getting that it's hard for me to keep my mouth shut.

I admire your strength more than you will ever know. You are so passionate about your career and you are such a hard worker. You have encountered so many obstacles to get where you are today and you deserve all of your success and then some. I am so proud of you. There 's a reason everyone looks to you for guidance and eats lunch on your couch Mom. You are loved and appreciated by so many people and I don't ever want you to lose sight of that.

I know I have mentioned this to you before but my motherhood course this semester has really made me understand what an amazing mother you are. Not just materialistically, although I got absolutely everything my little heart desired and continue to, but emotionally more than anything. There was never a night that I would go to bed without a kiss goodnight and an "I love you." You always made sure that we ate dinner as a family and attended every single school function even if you had to leave work. You may have been strict at times but that is what has shaped me into the young woman I am today and I know that with everything you did you had my best interest at heart.

You are so selfless sometimes it baffles me. Your kindness is so genuine and rare. You are ridiculously beautiful on the inside and the outside. Your obsession with Christmas and Santa Claus is the cutest thing I have ever experienced. Your smile is contagious and I wish you would do it more often. Your fashion sense is super trendy and more moms should dress like you. Your combination smell of Jean Nate and Red Door always brings me comfort. You are an amazing mom and I am so lucky to call you mine.

I love you with all my heart.