I know that when you read this article and call me after, that your first comment will be about the article photograph. You are the most difficult person when it comes to choosing a photo that you think you look good in. I decided that you couldn’t complain too much about this photograph because of the background, and because of the stylish sunglasses that you are wearing.

Each of my articles have to be at least five hundred words, but I feel like I could write a novel, and still not be able to thank you enough. Ever since I was born, you have always been by my side and supported me through everything. Even though my memory has faded over the years, I can still remember how you were the coolest mom out there when I was in elementary school. You were the only mom who went on every field trip, no matter how uninteresting it was. You also offered to drive to all of the field trips if a bus was not being provided.

Anytime I was sick at school, you would come and pick me up in a second. All the times I would forget my lunch, you would drop it off in the office so I would always have something to eat. You would pack my lunch to the brim so I could snack throughout the day, and there would always be a napkin with some sort of note. I can say that you are the reason why I still to this day, snack throughout the day.

Not only were you a professional lunch maker, but through out all of my schooling, I could always count on you to help me with a project. Every school year, I would have classmates asking me how I could have possibly made such a great project. My teachers asked if I had really drawn everything on the board, and how I was so talented at such a young age.

I would tell them that I was born with the talent, but little did they know that you were a professional artist and that I could barely draw a stick figure. Sadly, college projects are much more difficult and do not include any drawing. If they did include drawings at all, I know that you would still be helping me out, no matter the distance.

I believe that you are the only reason why I pushed through my injury and survived. You pushed me every single day to do something, and never let me sit in my hospital room being depressed. You found positivity in every moment and did not let me forget that everything happens for a reason. It is funny to think back to when you would sneak me out of the hospital, and push me in my wheelchair to the hotel you were staying in. I remember the time you didn’t tell the staff that I was leaving with you, and the hospital patient alarm went off because I had suddenly disappeared. The whole staff on the floor was searching for me everywhere.

Once they called you, you simply laughed and said you would return me soon. I don’t know if there is another parent out there who would sleep in a hospital bed every night for months on end, or be willing to help their child remember who they were after completely losing their memory. But you did mom, you didn’t let one minute go by where I was ever alone in that hospital room.

Even through the hardest times, you were still able to make jokes and found it funny to blow up plastic gloves, run with me in my wheelchair, or make comments about the nurses using one of your classic accents. I have you to thank for surviving that time period in my life, without you, I don’t know who I would be today.

When I decided to go out of state for college, you were sad that I was leaving but still the most supportive parent. I remember when I called you to let you know that I was not happy where I was going to school and that I wanted to leave. I was nervous that you were going to be upset that I didn’t want to stay at the school that I had planned my whole future around. Instead of being disappointed, you asked if I wanted to stop going there that day and you would fly there immediately to help me pack. You even told me that I could take a semester off or a year off, and we would go and travel the world.

On move out day, we packed up the Jeep and hooked a U-Haul to the back. As we drove out of the town, you said you were happy that I was leaving because it was too far away to begin with. You made fun of me for already taking the college stickers off of my car, you turned the music up loud, and we drove away without ever looking back.

My friends often say that I am very lucky to have a mother like you and that they wish they had the same relationship with their moms. Now that I am away at college again, I look forward to your countless phone calls each day. I have to sit back and laugh when you send me a text message that makes absolutely no sense, or when you call to ask if I know your iTunes password.

Nothing compares to when you attempt to FaceTime me, but you can not figure out how to flip the camera so I stare at the floor the whole time we are talking. I have to admit though, I do not miss you falling asleep while I am trying to watch a show in the living room, and having to turn it off because of how loud you are snoring. I know that no matter who comments on your snoring, you will forever claim that “it was not me snoring, I was just resting my eyes”, even though we all know better.

A few tears have fallen on my computer keyboard while writing this. There is so much that you have done for me since the beginning. I hope to someday be the person that you are. I truly thank you for everything. There is a quote that says “A mother is your first friend, your best friend, your forever friend”, and that couldn’t be more accurate. Thank you mom, thank you so, so much.