Happy mother's day! A mother is defined as a "woman who has given birth to a child." That's a good definition, of course you have to have birth to be a mother, but what makes a good mother isn't filled by that definition, it's filled by this one: "a woman who fulfills the role of nurturing, protecting, and raising a child." Mom, thank you for always being here to nurture me, protect me, and raise me. I mean it when I say I wouldn't be half the person I am today without you (well, I wouldn't even be alive, but you get the point I think).

With this being the last mother's day where I'm at home, this one feels a little different. Thankfully, I can still come back next year with a train ride instead of a plane ride, so I'll be here next year to celebrate with you, but it still feels different. This is the last mother's day of an era — for 18 years we've spent mother's days like this, but now that routine, and a lot of other things, are going to change.

But although I will spend less time here, and although I will see you less, that does not mean that I will stop appreciating time with you, loving you, and being so so happy and thankful that you are my mother. I mean, who knows where I would be in the college process without having you there to travel all over the country with me and support me through it all. And who knows where I would be in every other aspect as well — there is no part of my life that would be the same if you were not here for me.

Thank you mom, for being in my life and being my mother. I wouldn't trade you for the world. I love you.