I can't begin to imagine a world without my mom in it. A world without my older best friend by my side. A world with so many little questions unanswered like "can I wash my whites with my underwear, and what do I do when I have a cold, or simply what to do next." They say when life hands you lemons, make lemonade, but knowing my mom, that lemonade would be a little sour, a lot sweet, in a fancy cup, and with a splash (or more) of vodka.

Life hands you a mom, because we all know when don't get to pick our parents. But what you do with that mom is your choice. You can choose to let her be a great mom. Or you can choose to disobey her. Or you can choose to move away and forget her name. Or you can choose to make her your best friend. Not always, of course, but most of the time.

I recall the first time I uttered the words, "Okay mom, I'm telling you this as my friend and not my mom," and from that day forward, we had more than just a special bond between mother and daughter; we were inseparable. She's one of the only people who understand me more than I understand myself, and it's not always because she wants to. I can tell her anything, knowing that she may roll her eyes, or she might say my name followed by a flick of her tongue, or she might even sigh, but she's never going to judge me. She would never do that, which is an outstanding quality to have as a best friend.

We all have best friends, and we all rely on them with our lives, our late-night text message choices, and our "go like my picture right now" comments. And, usually, we rely on them for advice: on boys, on clothes, on food, on pictures, on makeup, on girls, and on happiness.

But there's something so different about relying on your mom for advice. She's a best friend. The very best of best friends too. But there is just something about the way moms give advice to their daughters. Whether it be they lived through it and survived or they are going to simply stand there every step of the way with you, there is so much wisdom in their words. My mom could write a book on life, and even though I would only probably listen to half of it, she would sit there and read me every chapter.

There is no one in the world I would trade my mom for, and I can't imagine my life without her. She's witty, intelligent, driven, soft, caring, bold, and a rainbow of different colors. She's the world in one woman, but to me, she is my world.

Thank you, mom, for being a mother first, a best friend second, and an easy target to make fun of third. I love you to the moon and back.