To my best friend in the world, my mom:

Happy Mother's Day! I'm so happy I'm home from school to celebrate with you. And please don't cry reading this. You tend to do that sometimes.

Thanks for everything, mom. I know a lot of people say they have the best mom in the world, but I think I win that game every time. You're the strongest, kindest, most admirable woman in my life. I'm so happy I have the privilege of getting to call you my mom every day. And in the spirit of the holiday, I'll remind you why.

I'm super grateful for your cooking, probably more than I should be. Especially your quesadillas and meatloaf - I love them more than most things in life. You don't know how much I miss it when I'm at school; it's probably the hardest goodbye. I'm grateful for your singing in the car, even when I say it makes my ears bleed. It doesn't really do that... well, maybe sometimes. I'm grateful for our food trips, especially when you pay because you know times are tough as a college student. I'll never meet anyone who appreciates good food, especially chicken caesar wraps, the same way I do, and I cherish that.

I'm grateful for the times we take the doggo to the park and run around with him so he gets a little exercise (even though were subconsciously aware that we're the ones who need the exercise after eating too many pretzels). I'm grateful for the times we watch stupid Lifetime movies together and make fun of the horrid acting or predict the terrible ending that's coming. I'm grateful for our bond over the Real Housewives franchise and anything that Andy Cohen produces. Our love for catty fights petty women is something that's irreplaceable.

But more importantly, I'm grateful for the way we call each other at least six times a day, even when I'm in the middle of a lecture or filing at work. Nobody else cares as much about my day as you do, and it's a nice feeling to know I have someone in my life who is so involved and interested in me. I'm grateful for your advice and how you know when I'm in one of my darkest moments. It must be some sort of superpower to be able to identify how I'm feeling over the phone, but nevertheless, it's always, always helpful in the end.

I'm grateful for the way you make me laugh when all I want to do is cry ("Ker, you're getting tears on my shirt"). You always have a way of picking me up off the ground and bringing me to a happier, better place that I never knew I could get to. You're the absolute perfect shoulder to cry on. And I'm so, so grateful for your endless support in everything I do, even when you don't always approve (but come on, my highlights turned out great!). Without your love and encouragement, I wouldn't be even close to where I am today. I'm here at my dream school because of you. I'm getting through each drawback because of you. I'm the person I am today because of you.

I'm grateful for your presence in my life, even when people get annoyed that we're together so much. But you teach me not to pay them, or anyone else, any mind, because our bond is something that can't ever be broken. I'm grateful for that the most.

I love you always.

Kerri