Mothers are our nurses, our chauffer’s, our bodyguards, our dance partners, cheerleaders, therapists, personal chefs, and so much more. But to me, most importantly my mother is my best friend.

The title of mom encompasses many areas of our lives. Like it or not, these women are a part of almost everything we do. If you are anything like me, you are a spitting image of the woman who raised you, and to your horror you consistently catching yourself saying her one-liners, using her ridiculous slang words and laughing at those same “dog meets baby” videos on Facebook. Despite these subconscious similarities, still, there are those who look at their mothers as just another authority figure trying to tell you what to do. When I think of this crazy human I call my mom, I look at her as one of my biggest blessings in my life. I am extremely lucky to have such an involved, goofy, loving, and wonderful mother like her—encouraging me to do my best but also reminding me to enjoy the little things along the way. I look at everything my mom does as a different lesson and throughout my 19 years, she has taught me a whole lot.

First and foremost, she taught me the importance of a fun-loving attitude. My mom is always the life of the party, and her infamous dinner party dance moves seem to prove it. Her constant positivity has taught me to always stay optimistic in every situation life throws at you. The way she matches the energy I bring to the table just proves that age does not matter when it comes to this woman. Throughout her life, she has surrounded herself with love, friends, and family, and I believe this is the method to her madness. She does not let any room for negativity to enter, instead, she fills every crevice with love and laughter. Even if you cannot see this 5’2 redhead in a crowd, once her favorite Bruno Mars song comes on the speakers, you instantly know where she is from her singing, clapping, and 90s dancing with her hands waving frantically in the air. She has taught me that life is too short to not bust out that dance move or sing at the top of your lungs—life is too short not to love everyone around you to the best of your abilities.

She has also taught me the significance of sticking to my beliefs. This petite, J.Crew wearing, coupon-using fireball has not, and will never let anyone talk down to her about what she stands for. As one of my role models and mentors, I have always admired the way she has encouraged me to do the exact same when it comes to standing up for yourself. She has stressed to me the importance of always being informed and to never let anyone question your intelligence or worth. My mom is one of the smartest women I know and her hybrid of drive and passion for what she resembles is note-worthy. Those who blindly challenge her during casual conversation fail to see all the time she has put in reading and researching the topic at hand to make sure her opinions are solidified. You want to go head-to-head challenging what she believes in? I hope you brought your notecards.

Lastly, my mom has instilled the important trait of respect for others deep within me. While we Foreman girls never let people walk all over us, we do hold everyone we meet with the utmost respect. Having respect for others is a lifetime skill to have, yet is so easily forgotten. While the common phrase may go, "you have to earn my respect," my mother intended to teach her daughters that everyone, no matter what, has your respect from the moment you meet them. Call it keeping it classy or just being polite, but in my family, it is always seen at the right thing to do and the right way to act.

Mothers really are amazing people. There are thousands of things they teach us on the regular, the majority of which I can not even begin to explain within the confines of this article. It is impossible to say thank you for everything they have done for us, the lessons they have taught and the memories we have shared together will last me a lifetime. When the apple does not fall far from the tree there is really one title you wear proudly: I am a mama's girl.