Mother's Day is right around the corner. It is a day where we not only bathe our women in gifts and love, but we also express out gratitude toward them and let them know how much they are appreciated. My mom has given me the world. She has sacrificed so many aspects of her life just so that I can succeed. She deserves a much better daughter than me. I am not a perfect daughter; I forget to call her and tell her I drove safely home in the rain, I may or may not go over to her house and steal her food, and sometimes I do take my laundry over to her house so that she can clean it. But I love her with everything I have, and I may not say it every day but she is so important to me. Without her, I would not be the strong, intellectual, and loving young woman that I am today.

This is for the woman who not only gave me half of her genes, but also allowed me to live in her body for nine months, rent free.
I love you and you deserve the world.

Thank you.
For letting me climb the tallest of trees.
For kissing all of my scraped knees.
For staying up with me late at night.
For making sure the bed bugs never did bite.

Thank you.
For always listening to my minuscule middle school disputes.
For teaching me to always stick to my roots.
For accepting me, stubbornness and all.
For picking me up and dusting me off when that stubbornness caused me to fall.

Thank you.
For not giving up on me during my teenage years.
For being my shoulder to cry on when I couldn't handle the tears.
For letting me learn the hard way that some friends aren't really friends at all.
For always reminding me that big and great things can come in packages that are small.

Thank you.
For letting me leave the nest.
For teaching me that in all aspects of life, I don't have to be perfect but I do have to try my best.
For teaching me how to cook one meal so that I wouldn't starve in the dorms.
For never really making me abide by social norms.

Thank you.
For constantly reminding me that life doesn't always happen according to plan.
For teaching me to never rely on a man.
For sitting back and allowing me to make mistakes and grow on my own.
For letting me know that even if I'm grown, I'll never be alone.

Thank you.
For providing me with unconditional affection.
For telling me to never fear rejection.
For showing me firsthand that blood is thicker than water.
For teaching me how to properly raise my future sons and daughters.

Thank you, mom, for being like no other.
But above all, thank you for being my mother.

To all of you beautiful moms out there, remember that you are loved. Happy Mother's Day.