Being sick during syllabus week has resulted in a never-ending marathon of Gilmore Girls. And, being sick away from home almost always means the person who held my hand through all the head colds, flus and scraped knees is missed the most—my mom. Luckily, she’s been a phone call away for the past week. Gilmore Girls has reminded me constantly why I’m grateful to call my mom my best friend.

1.) She’s the person who knows every waking moment of your existence because she actually wants to. You can tell her the same story 5 times, in 5 different variations, and she’ll just nod along with a huge smile, pretending it’s the greatest thing she’s ever heard. Your business is her business, and she’ll be there to celebrate, cry and laugh right alongside you.

2.) Through all of life’s big moments, she’s been by your side. From graduation, to prom, to going off to college, she’s never failed to be supportive or hold your hand when life gets a little scary.

3.) She drinks at least 3 cups of coffee per day. So do you.

4.) She also shares your love of food. When you’re having a catastrophic, this-is-the-end-of-the-world week, you know exactly who to count on for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s with not one, but two spoons.

5.) If you need a number one fan, she'll be there cheering from the sidelines. She’s been at every football game, art show, and dance recital. She was there when you took your first steps and drove a car for the first time. No matter what place you actually finish, she’s there parading around how awesome you are and giving you the gold.

6.) When you share so much with someone, you know that any questions can be asked, judgement-free. She’s already lived through all the things you’re going through so, her advice is always the go-to.

7.) And, the same works in reverse. She asks the questions she knows your pop-culture self can answer. Sometimes you laugh when she mispronounces tech words like Bitmoji. But you commend her for keeping up with the times and gladly help her create her own avatar.

8.) On any given occasion, she knows how to make you laugh until you can’t breathe.

9.) You don’t dare second guess where you got half of your tendencies from or why your laugh is the way it is. When people say you’re the spitting image of your mother, you both look at each other and laugh saying, “Really?! We don’t see it, at all.”

10.) No matter how far away mom is, she’s always there when you need her most.

Thanks for everything, Mom.