I’m lucky to call my mom my best friend.

We literally wouldn’t be on this earth if it weren’t for our mothers. Growing up they are there for every milestone. They hear your first words, help you with your first steps, watch as you learn to ride a bike, and put you on a bus for your first day of kindergarten even though letting go may hurt.

As a girl though, we all went through that “rebellious” stage. We thought our moms were smothering us with love and attention, and didn’t really want to have anything to do with them (sorry mom, I’d like to hope you went through those fun teenage years too). But then somewhere along the line, we started actually enjoying being with our mom. Maybe it’s because they’d pay the bill when we went shopping, or we’d get to stop at cheesecake factory for dessert after a day of errands. Whenever the moment was, we began enjoying time with our moms.

Going away to college was hard, because I didn’t want to leave my mom. I was homesick even if I was only three hours away. I couldn’t just walk into my mom’s room and jump on her bed and snuggle. I couldn’t cuddle up for our Saturday night routinely watching of America’s Most Wanted. I couldn’t ask her to make me a grilled cheese for lunch because I was too lazy to get up. Being away from my mom was hard, but it made me stronger. I still went home to see her all the time, but I learned how to be okay when I couldn’t.

It’s because of that smothering love from my mom that I’m able to thrive on my own. Growing up hearing “no,” being told I couldn’t stay at a friend’s house, or not being given my own car- my mom taught me so many valuable lessons. Now I’ve got all these “fun” responsibilities. Paying part of rent, insurance, gas, buying a car, phone bills, utilities, school loans, etc. I’d probably be living in a box if my mom hadn’t taught me the value of a dollar along the way…

There are so many things I owe thanks to my mother for. She’s there no matter what for me. I can call her up crying after a breakup, and know that she’d drive to see me in a heartbeat if I needed her to. I can bring months of laundry home and know that she’ll gladly wash and fold it all for me (see you Thursday). I can accidently text her cuss words and not get a response, because let’s just not go there…

My mom is the person I can turn to for anything. When someone asks me my role model, I immediately say my mom. She is there for advice, for a hug, or to get in a butt pinching war in the kitchen that gets to the point that we can’t even be in the same room anymore. She’s the one I can get in laugh-so-hard-you’re-crying fits with and just fall to the floor understanding that we just have to walk away or we’ll never stop. She’s my best friend because at the end of the day I always know she’s the one I can call for anything.

Love you to the moon and back, mom.