This year, Mother’s Day falls smack dab in the middle of finals, making it nearly impossible for some to see or even simply wish their mothers a happy Mother’s Day. But why should we let this prevent us from giving our mothers the thanks and gratitude that they so obviously deserve? Why is it that we need a special day to remind us to celebrate the women that are constantly saving the day?

Our mothers have been there for us since day one, they are some of our most loyal, enthusiastic, and loving supporters, and therefore we should be honoring them and thanking them every day, not just one Sunday in May.

From kissing our bumps and bruises when we fell down on the playground to answering frantic, distressed phone calls about our college disasters, they are there for us. From packing our lunches on the first day of kindergarten to sending us back to college with plastic containers of home-cooked meals, they are there for us.

From giving us advice about our first crushes to advice about major life decisions, they are still there. From the warm hugs they gave us as they sent us off on our first days of preschool to those same warm hugs they give us every time we are reunited with them, they are always there.

They have been there for us from as long as we can remember, surpassing friendships, hobbies, grades, relationships, and now even the distance of no longer living with them, they are there and they always will be. So why not celebrate them for being the heroes that they are?

They have dedicated so much of their selves to us too, besides the fact that they birthed us and raised us for the first 18 years of our lives. They are still raising us, in a different way, but raising us nonetheless. As kids, they picked us up and dropped us off at friends' houses and soccer practices. They attended endless choir concerts, school awards ceremonies, sports games, parent-teacher conferences, and all of the rest of our countless extracurricular activities.

They toured colleges with us, moved us into our dorms, and answered late night phone calls after we got back those first disappointing college grades. While we are “all grown up” now and might not need them to attend our parent-teacher conferences, we needed them then and we need them now more than ever. They have been raising us and will continue to raise us for hopefully years to come.

So while we you might not be able to see your mom on May 8 or even for the next couple of months, be sure to thank them the next time you speak to them. Be sure to thank them for their loyalty, their hard work, their love, their patience, their dedication, their daily wisdom, their sweet words, and their comforting hugs. Thank them for being our mothers, our greatest role models, and our best friends.