Some people are lucky in life to have a hero or a best friend, and I am no different, except for the fact that my hero is my best friend. Not only have I had someone to admire my entire life, but I also have someone to laugh with, spend time with, and go to advice for. My mother is this person in my life, and I would not be who I am today without her.

Growing up with 2 brothers has been an amazing adventure, and my brothers are also my best friends, but it is not always easy being the only female sibling in the family. For this reason, I am so blessed to have my mom. Without my mom, I would have no one to go shopping with, no one who would have taught me how to use makeup, or how to 'cook'-still working on that last one! More or less, my mom and I normally spend our time doing 'girl stuff' when it's just the two of us, and these are some of the best memories of my childhood, and now, young adulthood.

My mom has taught me so many lessons, too many to count. She's taught me that beauty is not skin deep, and how to react passively, no aggressively, to those who think and say otherwise. She's taught me how to look for the best in every situation, and to never give up. I remember coming home crying from band camp as a freshman in high school, or calling her on the phone, sobbing, that I was so homesick and wanted to come home from college during my first semester. First of all, thanks for putting up with me at these 'crises' moments, and for helping me see the bright side in these situations. Without your support, I would have never spent four unforgettable years in the marching band, or never have had a place like TCNJ to call my home. She's taught me how to be strong for others, even when I feel like I'm crumbling from within. She's taught me how to forgive but to never forget, and she's forgiven me for practically every episode of malarky I pulled as a teenager. She's taught me how to move on from boys who have stolen and broken my heart, helping me snap out of it when I am stressed about my future or my grades, she's taught me how to deal with awful period cramps, and she's taught me how to live my life as a loving, independent person with a tough-cookie yet fun-loving, knee-slapping joking personality.

I've seen my mom's true character in many scenarios throughout my life, and I can attest that she is no less than a beautiful, strong, and confident woman. Ideally, this is who I want to grow up to be. I love you so, so much, mom, xo!