Everybody has that somebody in their life who has always been there for them through thick and thin. For me, that person is my mom. I cannot even begin to tell her how thankful I am for her because there are just too many reasons to list! From a young age, I have always looked up to my mom for her work ethic, her willingness to do things for others, even when she receives nothing in return, and her unconditional love for my sisters and I. I would be crazy if I did not say that at multiple times in my life, I was told that I reminded someone of my mother, and to me that is the greatest compliment I could receive!

To put it simply, my mom is a warm-hearted, hard-working person that I love to spend time with. She does not receive nearly enough credit for everything she does. Although this thank-you letter to her does little justice to how my mom continually amazes me on a daily basis, it is the best way right now that I can think of to show her how thankful I am for her and everything that she does for me. With that being said, here is a list of 11 things that I would like to thank my lovely mom for.

1. Juggling everything so gracefully

Being a mom is a job in itself, but it also includes a subset of many other jobs, including taxi-driver, nurse, maid, and teacher, just to name a few. My mom has always gracefully juggled all of these roles in addition to her real job which is so impressive to me! My mom is always only the ball when caring for my two sisters and I. She always did her best to help me with my homework, and continues to do so with my youngest sister. Not to mention, she cleans up all of our messes and keeps our home in tip-top shape. How she handles all of these jobs and continues to maintain a positive attitude, I have no clue, but I am so appreciative of her ability to do so.

2. Always being there for me

I cannot remember a time in my life when I needed my mom but she was not there. After I was born, my Dad went back to work and my mom stayed home and took care of me. As I got older and began attending school, whenever I was sick, she would stay home from work until I was feeling better again. Now at the age of twenty, my mom is still there for me whenever I need her. When I am away at college, and I need a pick-me up from the stress of nursing school, she never fails to reassure me over the phone and make most of my worries and stress vanish within minutes of hearing her voice. I really do not know what I would do without her!

3. Setting boundaries and rules to follow

This seems silly, but I am so thankful that my mom, and my dad as well were somewhat strict when I was growing up. When my sister and I got home from school, we were to complete our homework assignments as soon as possible and when we were disrespectful or did not behave appropriately, we were disciplined. As much as I hated this at the time, I am so incredibly thankful for it now as I am entering the "real" world (which is not nearly as fun by the way). So, thank you Mom (and Dad) for teaching me that sometimes you do not always get your way in life and that it is okay.

4. Celebrating my achievements

I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well in school, and when I do not perform as well as I would like to on an exam or quiz, my mom is always there to boost my confidence and reassure me that her and my dad are proud of me no matter what!

5. For all of our laughs and inside jokes

One of my favorite things to do is to make my mom laugh. We share the same sense of humor along with many inside jokes. Whether we are belting it out to "Kiss" by Prince in the car or quoting our favorite movies, whenever my mom and I are together, it is a blast!

6. Cleaning everything

Let's be honest. If it were not for moms and their superb cleaning skills, our houses would not be clearly as clean as they are! My mom works so incredibly hard to make sure that our house is always nicely decorated and immaculately clean. Thanks Mom!

7. Not letting me starve

My mom is the best cook! Thank you for always filling our house with healthy and yummy foods. When I am home from school, or when I have had a bad day, my mom makes a point to cook my favorite meals. She's also smart enough to do the cooking so that I don't take it upon myself to do it! My mom's homemade apple pie and bread are to die for.

8. Sharing the love for running with me

I use the word "love" very loosely here, because running isn't always a fun activity. However, it is something that my mom and I enjoy doing together. This summer we are running the Boilermaker together again, and in August we are on a Peak to Brew Relay team, running 232 miles from the summit of Whiteface Mountain all the way to the Saranac Brewery!

9. Challenging me

When I was in grade school, I signed up for everything that I could. My mom would always say (and still says to this day because clearly I never learned my lesson), "Just because there is a sign up sheet, doesn't mean you need to write your name on it." I think I get this from my mom. She takes on so much and accomplishes everything so gracefully. She has always pushed me to do my best both academically and athletically. I'm thankful that my mom instilled these values in me.

10. For all the things you do on a daily basis that you do not even realize, but I do

You do so many little things on a daily basis that keep our family running smoothly. To name just a few, this includes laundry, sweeping the kitchen floor, making doctor appointments, and going grocery shopping. These are little things that may not seem like big things, but really make a big difference.

11. Being the kind of parent I hope to be someday

Thank you for modeling all of the behaviors of a good mom and teaching me to be a kind, generous, and hard-working woman. I love you so much!