This Mother’s Day, Washington University Freshman and Waubonsie Valley graduate Courtney Arellano surprises her mom with a sweet and sentimental note. This weekend we celebrate ALL moms. We wish you a relaxing weekend filled with love.

____________

Strong. Loving. Hardworking. Superwoman. These are the qualities that I have always admired in my Mom, and being away from her at college has made me appreciate them more. Through her actions and words, my Mom showcases some of her best qualities: selflessness and love.

Love is in our weekly phone calls, coffee dates downtown Naperville, and Hallmark movie-watching marathons. It is within the duality of being my parent and best friend that I have formed an unbreakable bond with one of the most special people in my life. In my Mom I have both found my confidant and number one fan.

My Mom is a compassionate self-starter and CEO along with her role of being my Mom. I was fortunate to grow up with a strong-female role model that taught me that you can chase your dreams while prioritizing the important people in your life. During my nine years dancing growing up, she never missed a dance performance, and was always there to celebrate the important moments in life with me.

Thank you Mom for every word of encouragement, every hour of help with geometry in high school, and for always being a shoulder to cry on. I love you Mom and I will never find the words to show how grateful I am for your selfless love.

Happy Mother’s day to all the amazing, loving, and hard working mothers out there. You deserve more than one day a year to celebrate all that you do 365 days a year. So, remember to call your Mom and tell her that you love her, and celebrate her this Mother’s Day.