Dear Mom,

Thank you for being there for me over the past nineteen years. Thank you for being by my side through the good times and the bad. You’ve seen me when I’ve been at my absolute worst and celebrated with me during some of the best moments of my life.

I can remember as a little girl spending warm summer afternoons outside with you, my little feet resting on your legs as we soaked up the sun and enjoyed a cold glass of your famous iced tea. I remember the days when I would pick vegetables from the garden for a salad as you prepared a homemade dressing to drizzle over it. On days when the sun was just too hot to bear, we would sit inside on our couch, munching on fresh, crisp green beans from the local farmer’s market that we visited early that day as Oprah gave us her daily dose of wisdom. The smell of nail polish still lingers in my mind and brings me back to the days when you would paint my little toe nails a bright pink color to match my favorite shorts.

It's moments like these that will stay with me for the rest of my life, some of which I hope to share with my future daughter. I remember the cool summer nights when we would go for a late night walk down the street when we couldn’t sleep. I loved when we would take a special end of the school year trip to get a pedicure, my toes a bright glittery color, and yours a rich, cherry red. I’ll never forget our trips to visit the horses and the cows, as I waved ferociously, hoping one would come over to say hello. One of my favorite moments was when you sat with me as I opened my first college acceptance letter. We cried and cheered, knowing that in that very moment, my new, beautiful life was just beginning.

Over the years you have had to fill so many roles in my life. You have been a teacher to me, reading a recipe from your collection of yummy meals and teaching me how to cook even without one. You were a nurse to me when I had my surgery, staying up until the early morning changing my ice packs and keeping track of my medication. You held my hand when I experienced pain and when I felt fear. No matter what the circumstances or challenges I may have faced, I knew that I could always count on you for support. You were the first person that I went to with boy trouble, sometimes coming to you in tears. You somehow always made me laugh even when I felt like it was the end of the world. You wiped my tears when I finally turned ten years old and was, for some odd reason, terrified of becoming a “double digit”. When I couldn’t sleep, you would sit by me and “change my brain” so that my mind could be at ease and I could slowly slip into a deep sleep. You were my number one fan, sitting at all of my boring soccer games, watching me as a ran back and forth like a cat chasing a laser. But the biggest role that you filled in my life was being both a mother and a father.

Together, we survived some of the toughest days of our lives. We grew stronger and closer because of them. Growing up without a stable father figure was often difficult, but you beautifully mastered the art of balancing both motherhood and fatherhood, and I can’t thank you enough for that. I can go back to some of my darkest days, on the floor in a puddle of tears, and you sat by me and rubbed my back until I calmed myself down. I watched as you grew stronger as both a mother and as a woman. You survived something that, at times seemed hopeless and unending, with poise and grace. You were never afraid to stand up for what was right. You worked multiple jobs to make ends meet while spending hours at a desk doing paperwork and handling the bills all while furthering your education. I applaud you for going back to school to pursue your Doctorate at Drew University. It is truly remarkable! You continued to perform beautifully as a teacher, showing your students the same kind of love that you showed me.

I can’t begin to explain how proud I am of you. You are such an amazing, beautiful, and strong woman, that I hope to someday grow up to be. I aim to emulate the grace and kindness that you possess. Thank you for being my rock and for being my biggest supporter. You prepared me for success and have taught me so many lessons that I still use to this day. Thank you for letting me steal countless coffees and lipsticks over the years. Thank you for being my teacher, my nurse, my chauffeur, my therapist, my personal chef, my number one fan, my makeup artist, my stylist, and my friend. But most of all, thank you for being my mom.

I love you in the world in my heart

(Sorry that I still don't know what the actual saying is)

Love,

Your Daughter