Father's Day is a day set aside to specifically thank and honor fathers for everything they are and everything they have done. It's a great holiday, although I believe fathers, and mothers, deserve to be honored and thanked everyday, not just a holiday they are assigned. But when I think of Father's Day, my mind doesn't go to my father. My mind goes to my mother.

For a huge and important chunk of my life, I was raised by a single mother. I was young, but I could see how hard she worked to make ends meet. She never asked for handouts and I never needed for anything. We had food on the table, clothes on our backs and a home filled with love, even if it was just the two of us.

She was so strong. She probably didn't realize I noticed because I was so young, but I saw how she struggled. I watched her worry and stress over matters I couldn't really fathom at the time. I also watched her make so many sacrifices for me – she was selfless. I never heard her complain. I never saw her look for an easy way out. And I never once saw my mother give up, even when she had every right to.

My mom had to play both parental roles, and to say she played them both well is a drastic understatement. She had enough love for me that was equivalent to four or five parents combined. By being both parents at once, she taught me some of the most valuable lessons I've learned in my life and she probably didn't even realize it:

She taught me to be strong.

She taught me to not be prideful.

She taught me not depend on a man for things I can do myself.

She taught me to be selfless.

She taught me that God's plan is always better than our plan.

She taught me to be relentless.

She taught me that I will always need God, no matter what I think/feel.

She taught me that I matter.

And lastly, she taught me about unconditional love.

Father's Day makes me appreciate my mother. It makes me appreciate the strong-willed, independent, loving, supportive and amazing mom that she's been to me. She didn't have to sacrifice all that she did for me, but she did it without hesitation. There's no doubt in my mind that I don't deserve a mother as great as she is, but I'm so thankful God made her my mom.

Thank you for always loving me even when you don't like me.

Thank you for always believing in me.

Thank you for always supporting me.

Thank you for always trusting me.

Thank you for always listening to me.

Thank you for always putting me in my place.

And thank you for being my mom as well as my dad for most of my life.

I hope one day I can be half of the mother to my future children that you are to me, and half the mother that grandma was to you. If I can be just half or even remotely like you and her, my children will be blessed beyond measure.

You set the bar high, mom.

Happy Father's Day to the mom that took up the slack of the father role in my life without hesitation. I love you more than you'll ever imagine.