With Mother’s Day coming up, it’s only appropriate that I dedicate an entire Odyssey article to my favorite person in the entire world. Not only is she the best mom, but she’s also the best friend a girl could have.

My mom is the epitome of a super mom. A single mom with four kids in three different states, and she still makes time for all of us. My mom works early mornings and late nights so that she can continue to make every opportunity possible for her kids. She loves what she does, and that’s something I really admire about her. She is a learning disabilities specialist with her own private practice, and she also teaches at my high school. She’s obsessed with learning about her field. She goes to conferences, talks with other teachers and talks about work all the time. I love hearing about her work and her students because she inspires me to be 100 percent involved in my field like she is.

Because she’s involved with teaching, my mom of course loves all things educational, especially the game Scrabble. We play family Scrabble all the time, and my mom is a Scrabble star. I’ve only beat her one time, and she did not let me win. She plays Scrabble with her students, too, and she doesn’t let them win. A student has only beaten her one time. That was years ago, but she is still proud that her winning streak is so high. My mom is one fierce competitor; it’s no wonder she put me into competitive skating.

One of the best things about my mom is how much she appreciates her kids’ sense of humor. My brother Dustin and I do this bit called “SD Conn,” and she cries laughing every time we do it. She always tries to get me to say pieces of it over the phone to her, and her laugh on the other end of the line is priceless. There have been too many times to count where I’ve made her laugh so hard she spit out her water or had tears streaming down her face.

My mom is really unique in that she really relates to people. I can tell her literally anything, and she understands exactly what I’m saying and how I’m feeling. She even answers the phone at two in the morning after a long night out or a night spent at the library. She knows exactly what to say about any situation, and she always gives me good advice.

To my shopping addict, selfie queen and favorite travel buddy, happy Mother’s Day! Mom, you are truly the best. One day out of the year is not enough to celebrate the amount of gratitude I have for you. Thank you for being my best friend and for supporting me in all I do. Thank you for inspiring me every day to be the best I can be. Thank you for not getting mad at me if I do badly on a test but instead helping me study for the next one. Thank you for standing up for me when I have been wronged. Thank you for travelling all over the world to support my siblings and me. Most of all, thanks for being my superhero. You deserve the world and more.