When I think of anyone in the world I desire to be like, my mother is the first person to come into my mind.

I have come to realize what all she has sacrificed for my brother and myself throughout our childhood, and now adulthood.

I admire and desire to have her giving nature; her selfless acts of kindness and sacrifice have made me who I am today.

All the nights I crawled into her bed with her when I was afraid of the boogie man under the bed, or all the late night heart to heart talks over a broken heart- she has remained not only my mother, but my best friend.

Her advice, which I did not always follow, ended up being the right advice to take. Now being an adult, I can clearly see that parenthood is not always a walk in the park, but a sacrifice of free time, personal space and a huge pouring of energy. My mother gave up all of that to provide for my brother and I a happy childhood which I can look back on and be proud of.

I truly hope that I can provide the wonderful memories for my children that my mother provided for me. I want to be the mother who picks my children up off the bus every afternoon and had a long in depth talk about what we learned that day in school, like my mother did with us.

I want to be the mother that even though I was sick and probably needed to stay in bed, still woke up packed up lunches and dropped us off to the bus, like my mother did with us.

I want my children to have their own independence and have a sense of self-worth, but still give that wise motherly advice, like my mom did for us. I look up to my mother in ways she will probably never realize, but should because in my eyes she has done an amazing job of being an amazing mother.

I think my mother should be chosen as one of the marvelous moms of the year because she needs something for herself. She has given up getting herself new clothes so she can give money to us kids for movie tickets and fun out on the town.

My mother has fixed big dinners before, only to have us as teenagers call to say we won’t be home, or not come to the dinner table.

My mother adopted one of my brother’s friends, whom had a terrible home life and provided her with a safe roof over her head, medical coverage, a full set of braces, clothing and most of all, love. My mother loved her like she was her own, and gave her all the motherly love she was missing out on before.

I look at these times now, and truly understand that my mother is a giver, and now is my time to let her know that I truly appreciate it and I have never forgotten the kind, thankless acts she has done for my brother and I. My mother will always be in my thoughts because she is my mother- but she will always be in my heart because she is my truest friend.

Kim Chainay is the best mother in the entire world in my eyes, and I want everyone else to see the wonderful person she is with an incredibly beautiful soul.

– Cassie Chainay