to the most influential women in my life:

to my very own:

thank you x a million, no - really! i wanna start off by saying that i love you, more than your "too cool to show affection" daughter could ever show or put into words. you are my sunshine, my hero, my best friend, and so so much more. the older i get i realize just how much you have had to sacrifice to be the best mother possible. and you are indeed, the best mother in this world. i am beyond lucky to have such a selfless woman in my life. you always bring out the best in me and see me for what i can be rather than who i am currently. the patience you must have had to raise this stubborn child. you have always been my #1 supporter and encourager; never missing a single event, ceremony, game, or performance. once again, the patience you have maintained even after a loss, bad day, or just dealing with my attitude (which is everyday).

you were and will always be the "cool" momma, always accepting and loving anyone i bring into your life or home. and trust me, they all appreciate and love you as much as i do.

you have taught me SO much about this life. having gone through your own struggles, you point me in the direction best for me to avoid any struggles of my own. as i grew up, i watched you go through quite a few and noted how you handled each with strength, love, and grace. you taught me how to never settle for anything less than what i deserve. and to always fight for what i believe in even if it seems as if the entire world is against me. you taught me to see the beauty in this world and even within my peers as well as in myself (yes thanks for the daily reminders of how beautiful i am - inside and out). you taught me how to work hard for what i receive and to always give more than i take (yes a hard pill to swallow at a young age).

you are the strongest woman i know, and one badass of a mom. i hope to one day be half the mother that you are. you deserve the entire world because you have given it to me - and because of that i will always try my best to make you proud.

"fight for what you love, but most importantly, fight for who you love" - so ill fight for you till the world stops spinning.

to the other special women:

thank you all for always welcoming me into your homes with unending love and open arms. and for helping my mom out with those extra set of eyes always looking out for me. i appreciate each of you more than i could explain. to any young girl reading this, appreciate all the eyes watching out for you, even it means them telling your mom about the dumb stuff they've caught you doing, because it'll pay off in the long run. i would not be the girl i am today without each of them sitting me down every once and a while.

you have all shown me true, unconditional love that i am forever thankful for. thank you for putting my - and my peer's - happiness before your own and proving to me that love really does not have any boundaries. many times i may not have shown the appreciation or love that you guys should be rewarded but i promise you mean the world to me. you guys believed in me when i did not even believe in myself or my ability to accomplish certain tasks or dreams of mine. thanks for standing by my side and never leaving, even in times that i may have been in the wrong.

y'all are the most beautiful women known to this world. thanks for making me into who i am today. i would cross oceans and climb mountains for each of you.

- the one and only bec ;)