Dear Mom,

Now let's be real. There are so many things I could thank you for - the list could go on indefinitely. I'm sure of it. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try.

With this being said, I want to thank you for always believing in me. It didn't matter if it was a school function or a martial arts demo - you were always there (even if you did always leave the room when it was time to spar lol). You were more proud of my achievements than I ever could be and in looking back, I'm sorry I never noticed it more.

They always tell you that your mom is your number one fan, but mom, you are so much more. You are like the first flower in spring - you always make others smile when you're around. It could either be your jokes (not even going to get into if they're good jokes or not) or just with your smile - you make others' lives better just by being a part of them in the first place.

Because of you I've learned to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I've learned that not everybody comes with good intentions - but when I finally see this, you'll still love me anyway.

I've learned that in life, there aren't very many permanent people - but I'll never have to worry about that with you.

I've learned and am still learning that sometimes life isn't what we expected it to be. It's even better than that.

No amount of words could every come close to describing how I feel about you Mommy..but thank you for being my best friend, my role model and my inspiration to be different from everyone else.

For my beautiful mother and my best friend for life, this letter is for you

Love always,

Your #1 Fan