This semester has been an all time new level of busy. With that comes jam-packed days and not much free time. I realized this semester that the weekly phone calls to my mom got put on the back burner and I was not able to go home to visit as much as I would have liked to. With Mother's Day around the corner, I felt like a much-owed thank you was due to my mom and moms all over.

The relationship between a mother and a daughter is a unique and special one. My mom is my mentor, my confidant, my best friend, and my teacher. There is a bond that allows us to grow together and support each other in our own growth.

My mom has been put through the hardest of times, and still, I am the one learning from her. I think the most valuable thing I have learned from her is that struggles really do make you stronger. I'm not sure if my mom really knows it, but she has grown into herself and has become so much stronger and more confident. She speaks her mind and is sure of herself. She laughs without apologizing and goes after what she wants. She sets goals and sees them through. She is independent and successful. She shows me who I should be and who I want to be. Truly, she is such a good example of what it looks like to be a woman, mother, and friend.

So thank you, mom. Thank you for leading me to also be confident. You are my biggest cheerleader and I am so thankful for you. I am thankful to have a mom who listens without judging and who supports out of nothing but love. Thank you for showing me that I am not my circumstances and my circumstances do not define me. Thank you for reassuring me of my character and what I can achieve.

I know I do not tell you enough, but you are beyond amazing at being a mom. You do more of us than we ever know and we are so thankful to have you.

Here's to you- my mom and my best friend. Thank you for everything.