My mother is who I aspire to be. She is a vision of beauty and bravery with a fierce intellect to top it off. In the whirlwind of college, I forgot to stop and remind her how amazingly wonderful she is and how proud I am to be her daughter. The bond that I have with my mother is unshakeable. She is truly an inspiration. Here are a few of the things I forgot to say thank you for:

Thank you for all of the dinners that we cook/cooked together, where I am actually just singing music loudly at the top of my lungs while I sit on the kitchen counter.

It may not seem like such a big deal to you, mom, but to me, it is everything. From the time that I could walk and talk, I have vivid memories of watching you cook dinner and sing your heart out with me. Cooking dinner in the kitchen with you, listening to one of "our" CDs, is the perfect night to me because it is full of laughter and love.

Thank you for tolerating, and occasionally, enjoying all of the music, which I listened to during my formative years.

I remember you patiently suffering through My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade at least 1,000 times because you knew that all I needed then was you and to listen to that one song on repeat for months. You never made fun of my musical choices, and you even sang along with the songs that you liked. The fact that you listened to my music, and even pretended to enjoy it, means more to me than anything.

Thank you for never giving up.

Last year, when I found out that you had cancer, my world shattered. It was unthinkable to me that the world's toughest woman could truly be that sick, but you kept going. You and dad drove back and forth to work everyday, and you got chemo. You were even there for my performance, the evening after your very first treatment. You are a fighter, and you taught me how to fight. You made me resilient. Your strength and zeal for life are what empower me to push through any adversity that I face.

Thank you for answering my phone calls at 2 a.m. and calming me down.

In college, it can be hard to remember to call mom between classes, meetings, and work, but she is always there. You have a sixth sense. You immediately wake up, in the middle of the night, when I call. You can sense that I need you. You are always there. You have never once, in my life, made me feel like a burden. When I apologize for calling so late in the night, all you say is: "It is so good to hear your voice." Thank you for your calming words and unconditional love.

Thank you for teaching me the importance of a good bargain.

My mother is the Queen of Goodwill, eBay, and Ross. She is the woman who can put a designer outfit, from head-to-toe, together for $25.00 or less. She taught me that it doesn't matter what you wear. It matters who you are inside, but it doesn't hurt if you can look nice for less.

Thank you for loving me.

Most of all, what I forget to thank you for the most is loving me. I am a conglomeration of you and dad, and I know that I can be difficult, but thank you for loving me and never giving up on me. You loved me from the time that I was born through my purple hair, everything has to be black phase to now, my crazy, caffeine-fueled college student self. Never once have I taken your love for granted. You are my shining star, and I love you.

Thanks mom for everything!