With Mother’s Day being here and all, I wanted to say a special thank you to my mom, as well as my step-mom. Some people aren’t fortunate enough to have two moms, and if they do, sometimes the relationships aren’t what they should be. I am thankful and blessed to have two moms to thank for everything they have taught me.

1. Thank you for teaching me right from wrong.

Thank you for showing me how to be kind and do what’s right, even if it’s the toughest thing to do. Thank you for sticking me on the right path and keeping me there.

2. Thank you for letting me get into situations and helping me out of them.

I’ve gotten into so many situations it’s hard to keep track, but you’ve always helped me through them. Whether it be directly or giving me advice, you always seemed to know what to do.

3. Thank you for letting me borrow your wardrobe.

We may not have been the same size for a majority of the time, but I still ended up stealing some of your clothes, and that is something to be grateful for! Sorry for still having these clothes, as well...

4. Thank you for being a good judge of character when it comes to friends.

Even after you told me you didn’t like my friends, I didn’t care… until something happened to prove that you were right. But you never said “I told you so." You just held me while I cried or listened while I ranted.

5. Thank you for giving me all the advice that I will never remember.

There’s been a lot of advice given, some of which I have listened to, but some has, unfortunately, gone in one ear and out the other. This never stops you from giving great advice, though.

6. Thank you for teaching me how to tie my shoes.

I know, I know, this is an elementary thing to be thanking you for, but it goes deeper than just tying my shoes. You’ve taught me how to live, how to be independent and how to be my own person. Tying my shoes was just the start. You taught me everything about life.

7. Thank you for listening to me rant about anything and everything.

I have a knack for ranting about every little detail that is possibly going through my life. So thank you for listening to my annoying rants that have nothing to do with anything.

8. Thank you for answering my daily calls when I have stupid questions.

Even in college, I still call you insistently because I have questions for you. Usually they are dumb questions or something that I could have easily figured out or even Googled, but moms are better than Google, anyway.

9. Thank you for drying my tears and hugging me until I'm OK.

This one is self explanatory. There are good days and there are bad days. Thank you for helping me through the bad days and cheering me on through the good days. You’ve held me and let me soak your shirt so many times. You’ve helped me get back on my feet many times, and I don’t know how to thank you enough.

10. Thank you for helping me with my homework and trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.

Figuring out what I wanted to major in seemed so easy in the beginning, but since then, my mind has been changed a lot. Thank you for sending me link after link after link to different websites of jobs, internships, etc. You seem to know what to search for and get the right answers every time.

11. Thank you for giving me the strength to push through difficult situations.

Difficult situations are always going to be around. They are a part of life. Having someone who will always be on your side is the greatest feeling. Thank you for taking the pain away and giving me strength.

12. Thank you for loving me like I am your favorite child.

Even though there is my sister, thank you for treating each of us as though we were your favorite child (I’m still the favorite child, I know).

13. Thank you for letting me be me.

Society tries to teach me to be this person that maybe I am not supposed to be. You never forced that upon me. Thank you for letting me be myself and supporting my decisions and cheering me along my way. I am the person I am today because of you.

14. Thank you for being my best friend.

As I grew up, you always told me you’d be my friend eventually. The lines were sometimes blurred between friend and daughter/mother, but when it really came down to it, you were first and foremost my mother. Now that I’m older, you’ve started to become more of my friend, and I think of you as one of my best friends.

15. And most of all, thank you for loving me unconditionally.

Your love and support has gotten me through the trials of life, both good and bad. Now, I want to thank you for everything you have ever taught me and everything you’ve done for me. I want to show my appreciation for you in as many ways as I can, so you’ll never forget how much I appreciate you and how much you mean to me. Thank you for caring and loving me with all of your heart.