You are a rockstar.

I am left in awe when I realize what you had to deal with while raising my sisters and I. You single-handedly turned the three of us into who we are today, each a completely different person who required different methods of parenting.

I was certainly susceptible to reverse psychology and performed best when I was trying to prove myself. Jennifer, who is just as stubborn as you and has absolutely no street smarts, required something completely different. She’d call you on your bluff when it came to reverse psychology, but if you held out on her long enough, she’d cave. Then there’s Kelsey who, well, we’re still trying to figure out what really motivates her.

You have been through so much while raising us by yourself, and you still came out on the other side powerful and strong. I admire you so much for that. You inspire me to be the best that I can be.

Without you, I would have never fallen in love with swimming when I was younger. I wouldn’t have discovered the rewards of hard work and the true feeling of accomplishment. I would’ve never found journalism. I would still be under the delusion that I can make money as a novelist.

I know I wasn’t the easiest person to raise, because I was always trying to do things myself, but thanks for teaching me how to do all those things.

You taught me how to read after I begged you, yet you continued to read out loud to me each night. Though I did ruin that when I turned the light back on that one night and finished “The Little House in the Big Woods.” To be fair, you stopped in the middle of the panther chase, so reading ahead was a totally valid response.

I am completely different from my sisters in many, many ways, but you keep me connected to the family, because the three of us are all from you, even if we embody completely separate parts of your personality.

You used to get frustrated when you rode on a plane with me because I would sleep like a baby while you would be anxious the entire time that something would happen and we’d miss our connection. Well, I can definitely feel myself turning into you more and more everyday in that respect.

You’ve been my mother for 22 years now, and though my sister and I are all in college now and living away from home, we still need you everyday. So thank you so much for being my mom.

I love you.