I’ve always loved my mom. But I can honestly say I don’t think I fully appreciated her as my mom until I became a mom.

Now I realize the sacrifices she made. I understand how she must have felt when I succeeded, failed, cried, laughed or even turned her away. I understand all that her heart endured because now I endure those same obstacles and triumphs. NOW I fully appreciate her as a mother and woman not just as my mommy.

Now at 31, most of my memories are the ones upon analyzing and picking apart my mom made possible through some sort of magic or maybe it was just unconditional love.

Within my appreciation is also admiration. Admiration for the role model and woman she was as grew from a little girl into a woman. She provided me with and has been my biggest fan when it comes to my writing. Since I was small she has done nothing but applaud my story telling skills. She still tells me often that she knows I’ll make something of my writing someday. My mom gave me my love for books and reading. She taught me how to apply eyeliner and blow dry my hair with a round brush. However, I didn’t inherit her social butterfly ability, or her big boobs. We now bond over HGTV, thrift store finds and the odds and ends of life.

When I became a mom it seemed to tear away this curtain to reveal all I was unable to see before. Now I see clearly all that her love holds and all that she still does for not only me but also my sister and my children.

This Mother’s Day I am not only celebrating my mom but I am truly appreciating all that she is.

Happy Mother’s Day mom, I love you as I always have, but now I fully appreciate what that love means because of you.