When you’re little, your mom is everything: parent, taxi, personal chef, ATM, Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and most importantly, your best friend. She’s the first person you call when something’s missing or hasn’t hit you in the face, when you had a bad day at school or when you need help making a ponytail with your head upside-down. Basically, your mom is Wonder Woman.

Unfortunately, there comes a time in every mother-daughter relationship when you can’t remember what it was like to not argue and fight over anything and everything…and I mean ANYTHING. To describe what it’s like raising girls, I think Claire Dunphy from Modern Family puts it best:

“Raising a kid is like sending a rocket ship to the moon. You spend the early years in constant contact and then one day, around the teenage years, they go around the dark side and they're gone. All you can do is wait for that faint signal that says they're coming back.”

My “rocket ship to the moon” was pretty rough. I’m surprised my mom didn’t go completely gray since she got the brunt of it all those years. Going away to school was the best thing I ever did because a 4-year break from “constant contact” was a necessity. But, distance definitely makes the heart grow fonder.

Since being at school, I’ve gotten my best friend back.

We call each other to catch up, not to argue. I’m on top of my schedule at school, there’s no need nag me about my responsibilities. When either of us needs someone to vent to, we call each other. When we’re together I know she sees me as an adult, even though it’s hard letting go of her little girl. My parents gave me my roots and my wings; two things I will forever be grateful for. I’m flying high and it’s all thanks to them.

Looking back now, I realize everything she did was in my best interest. I appreciate and respect her so much more for not taking the easy way out and sticking to her “I’m your parent, not your friend” mentality – even when I wasn’t her biggest fan.

Nobody gets to pick their parents but I definitely hit the lottery with a mother like mine. It took me 20 years to realize how amazing she is. Love ya, Ma!

P.S.:My Dad is the bomb too xoxo.