Dear Mom,
Words are not enough to thank you for all you have given me, but I can try.
From the moment you found out you were finally pregnant with a girl, you loved me— even though you thought, at first, that I was the flu.
When Dad was travelling, you held it all together. You put your life on hold and stopped working when I was sick at home for years, and the moment I was better, you went back to work to help pay the bills and put us through the best education in the city.
When my brothers struggled, you blamed yourself. You cried every day because your heart was broken. But Mom, kids make mistakes and none of it was your fault.
When Dad was out of work, your heart was failing and you needed your pacemaker, you still worked every day, putting on a smile for none of us to worry.
When I wanted to be Dorothy, a cowgirl, a pop star, and a saloon girl for Halloween, you picked out the best fabric and worked dawn till dusk sewing it.
When I thought I was Hannah Montana, you fought for weeks to find tickets to her show, even though it sold out in two minutes. You succeeded, made T-shirts, bedazzled binoculars, and even bought a new memory card simply for the occasion.
Whether we wanted an orange cake with buttercream icing, a cheesecake, or meatballs for our birthdays, you made them with no complaints and a smile from ear to ear.
When my brother became a vegan, you looked up recipes to accommodate, yet made sure the rest of us could eat the food too. And you accepted him just as easily when he decided he wasn't one anymore as well.
When I went on a "Gossip Girl" binge, you crushed on Chuck Bass right beside me, bought me more Blair-esque headbands, and even upped your own style to come across as a Cincinnati Upper East Side version of Eleanor and Blair.
When you promised we would go to Paris when I graduated high school, you followed through without any hesitation. It was the best trip of my life, and there is no one I would rather drink champagne, eat great cheese, and see the Eiffel Tower with than you.
When I was going through rough times and wanted to change schools, you forgave me for my mistakes, drove hours to be by my side, and walked me through the process— motivating me and keeping me strong through it all.
When I decided to quit swimming and focus solely on dance, you pulled all-nighters in the hotel rooms to make sure my dress was ready before the competitions the next day.
When I had a play, you were the first in the audience and the last to leave, even if I was just a chorus member second from the back right. You joined the costume committee to contribute to my interests and spent hours working extra at home after your hospital rotations to make sure everyone had a costume and looked good in it.
When I was up screaming with an ear infection, you sat with me the whole time and made sure I had an appointment the next day no matter what—even if the staff yelled at you that I couldn't have special treatment. You made it happen.
When Ryan and Eileen said you were going to be a grandmother, I have never seen anyone more excited about something in his or her life than you were. I know the distance is hard, but you manage and love Declan more than anyone ever could.
When you had patients who treated you unfairly, were crude, and didn't follow the orders given to them, you remained kind to them even when no one else was.
When we said we hated you, treated you horribly, disobeyed you, or didn't call you enough, you loved us unconditionally.
When we wanted to ride a ride at Disney World, you followed right behind and made sure we were even fit into the lunch schedule at Cinderella's castle that had already been booked for months. You're sneaky like that, but I love that about you.
When everything else seemed to go wrong, you made it right again. You're my own superhero, Mom, and I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you do. I love you because you don't see the beauty you bring to other people's lives. You are an inspiration and the best mother anyone could ask for even though you don't know you are.
Thank you for loving us like no one ever will and for all you do. I know it sometimes is underappreciated and often seems overlooked, but we do remember and love you more than anything and a million thank-yous will never be enough.
Love, your daughter
