In November of 2016, Netflix brought back one of the most influential shows from the early 2000s. That's right! I'm talking about the "Gilmore Girls" revival.

Whether you were an avid fan for the original duration of the show or you binge watched all seven season in the last year, you've laughed, you've cried (because you were laughing so hard*). You've fallen in love with Luke and Jess, you've started drinking much more coffee, but most importantly, you've probably put yourself in Rory or Lorelai's shoes once or twice.

I've had the privilege of watching the show for a long time. It was very big when I was very small*. One day, when I was about four years old (in 2002), I walked into my mother, Shelley's bedroom where she and my older brother, Matthew were sitting on the edge of her bed. Her eyes were fixated on the tiny TV/VCR combo and Matthew was playing with something in front of him. I crawled into her lap and asked her what she was watching. From that day on, every Tuesday we would watch the new episodes on ABC Family while working on lesson plans and doing homework. One Christmas, she got the boxed set of seasons one thru four on DVD! We spent the following 12 years watching and rewatching episodes, collecting more seasons as they were released.

"How many times have you seen this movie?" "I'm out of digits." -Max and Lorelai

Looking back on it now, we have a lot in common with Lorelai and Rory. I ended up going to a private school for high school (with the school colors blue and white!), I have read more books in my lifetime than I could count, my mom has a crazy best friend she used to work with, there is occasional tension between her and my grandparents, she drives a Jeep. It's actually pretty weird when it's all laid out, but I'll save you the reading because that's beside my point.

The most important similarity we share with Lorelai and Rory is our relationship. A lot of people will claim, "my mom's my best friend!" but I think Shelley and I take the cake.

Having your mom as your best friend can be tricky but it's also the most wonderful thing in my life.

She knows everything about me. Everything. When I FaceTime her and my friends are around, they'll laugh at how in sync we are.

"We've been completely in sync, without the slightly gay boy band affiliation." -Lorelai Gilmore

I grew up with an aspiration to be my mother. She wouldn't hear it if I told her how great she is, but the fact still stood: my mother is Superwoman.

"As she guided me through these incredible 18 years... I don't know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her." -Rory Gilmore

That admiration for her caused me to have the utmost respect for her. I recognized that she was my mom when she had to be my mom and my friend when I needed her as a friend. She was never too much of either, and that balance is why I can tell her everything. I never felt threatened that she was going to hold something over my head later if I told her while she was in her friend mode. I am so grateful I experienced my childhood without that feeling of contempt or guilt that so many others are raised with.

We're also the same person. There is absolutely no exaggeration in that statement. It is so cool to look at the things you do and know that your mom would approve because she would do the exact same thing.

"I mean, look, I love that you have my eyes and my coffee addiction and my taste in music and movies." -Lorelai Gilmore

Being able to text your mom at one in the morning that you just got home and had the weirdest thought you've ever had in your life is a magical experience, as well. I know so many people that avoid contacting their parents after certain hours because 'they'll wonder what they're doing so late'. If I text Shelley at 3 am with an existential question, the first text she'll send back is an answer, not an interrogation. Again, it comes back to the mutual respect we have for each other that we learned through so many years of watching "Gilmore Girls."

In less serious ways, we've subconsciously based a lot of our behavior as a duo off of Lorelai and Rory. She stuck her tongue out at my high school graduation. Even though she didn't move me into college, I still called her and she still gave me a very enthusiastic Copper Boom!* We binge watch movies that we've seen 100 times before. We have the same taste in movies.

Being best friends with your mom, having the Lorelai to your Rory, is like being constantly rewarded for just being alive. I am so loved and always laughing and so blessed to be as close to her as I am. If you're close with your mom and you relate, isn't it awesome? If you're not, I highly recommend you sit down with her for a few days next time you're home and watch a few episodes of "Gilmore Girls."

"Maybe a little time [together] will do both of you some good." -Emily Gilmore