Mom. You have been my number one fan for years. My cheerleader. I know that we argue. I know that we fight, but at the end of the day, I just want to make you happy. You raised me by yourself when you were my age and I know that I could never be able to do what you did. I would never have been able to do everything that you have done and I know that you did it for me, so that I am able to follow my dreams in my own life.

So I want to thank you. I want to thank you for doing so much to help me out for all these years. I want to thank you for working so hard to support me and allow me to focus on school. But I also want to thank you for teaching me how to be responsible, for encouraging me to get a job in high school so I could learn how to manage my money (even if I didn’t do such a good job at that part). I want to thank you for allowing me to do what made me happy, such as drama club, school band and sports. I want to thank you for not necessarily being able to make every little thing but making time for the big ones. I know you will also continue to do so for everything big that happens in my life.

I know we may have our arguments and our fights. I know for a while, it seemed like we had something new to fight about every day. As much as I may not want to admit it, we are alike enough to cause us to be passionate about the things we differ on. Looking back, I see how hard you worked and how much you had to sacrifice to make sure that I had a good life.

So in the future, we may have our arguments and our fights, but I want you to please know this, I love you. You will always be the one person that I call when I’m having a rough day at school. You will always be the person I call when I just need someone to talk to. And finally, you will always be the person who has supported me for my entire life, through absolutely everything and who would never give up on making sure I achieve my dreams.

It’s because of you that I am in college. It’s because of you that I’m also here on scholarship. It’s because of you encouraging me to do everything that I’ve done that I am where I am. You have made me into the person that I am today and I couldn’t thank you more for all of that.

I know I may not say this often and I know that I may have given you a few headaches over the years but I mean every word. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you are going to do. Thank you for being my mom.