There's the constant battle between parenting your child well or being their best friend. Why can't you do both? Yes, there will be fights and drama, but every healthy relationship has those right? My mom is an amazing parent to me and she raised me well (not to toot my own horn or anything). She raised me in a home where we knew and trusted God, but she gave me the freedom to grow my own relationship with Him in high school and encouraged me to pursue Him even more. She supported me in all my crazy dreams like musical theater and wanting to move to New York to doing a complete 180 and wanting to go to college for global studies and becoming a missionary. She let me give up on old dreams and discover new ones. She was at every pageant I competed in. Even when I didn't win, she still brought me flowers and celebrated me. She was there when I tried on my evening gowns and when I wanted to practice "my walk." She brought me to endless acting auditions and would turn her head while I practiced singing because her face shows every emotion and it made me nervous. She has been my number 1 supporter since I was born.

There were times growing up that I did not appreciate all she did for me. There were times I hid in my room and watched Grey's Anatomy for hours and would come out to get my dinner to bring into my room. There were times we both cried from fighting and times she sat on my bed for hours listening to me cry after a breakup. There were times where we didn't value each other and times where we were attached to the hip. Even though I have moved out, we still experience these things when we are not physically together. When I left to live alone, I realized how much my parents truly meant to me and now my parents and I talk every single day, even though I'm not living in the United States.

I could go on and on about my mom for hours (everyone on the World Race knows that), but my mom and best friend is turning 60 years old when I am in Kenya. It is truly amazing because she does not look a day over 29. We usually celebrate with an ice-cream cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream in the middle and a fudge layer over the top. My parents do this cute thing where they usually buy themselves their presents then have the other one wrap it up and pretend it's a surprise. I actually love that because everyone gets what they actually want that way. I just wish I could be in America to celebrate my mom this year.

Mom,

You have been my rock this past year. You let me call you almost every day to tell you what's happening on the missionary field. You are always there for me and my friends. You are my die hard Taylor Swift and concert buddy. I love our facetimes and how you comment on everyone's Instagram post to "hype them up." I'm beyond blessed God gave me you. I am proud of how you are growing in your relationship with Christ since I am gone. I know this separation is hard so let's not do it this long EVER again, please. I am writing this knowing I will see you so soon and hug you and dad for hours. Also, thanks for bringing me healthy snacks on my trip ;)

To everyone reading this,

Hug your mom's extra tight today. They do so much for us. You may be mad at them for not letting you date a boy/girl (moms are always right so if they don't approve, then run), you may be mad they are not letting you go out with your friends one night (when you leave home, you will have complete freedom, so don't get so mad about that stuff now), you may be fighting with them over chores you have to do (they are preparing you for real life, living alone means cleaning your own toilets), and you may be mad at them for making you go to school when you don't want to (they have no choice, be mad at the government for this one).

Enjoy your time living at home with your parents. Turn off the TV at dinner times, play board games, go for Starbucks hot chocolate runs, and always say I love you before going to bed. My parents are my best friends, but living together was hard because I did not appreciate all they did for me. I hope my mom now knows how much she means to me and how much I talk about her every day to my team members.

Thanks, mom, you are the bomb and I cannot wait for you to take your 60th year by storm!