Dear Daddy,

I have so much to thank you for, and I don't think I will ever be able to thank you enough for everything that you have done for me. I know sometimes we butt heads, sometimes you have to get on to me, and sometimes our tempers get the worst of us. However, at the end of the day, I will always love you and be thankful for you. Here are 13 reasons why.

Thanks for teaching me how to fish.

Thank you for taking the time to bait my hook and cast my rod into the right places when I was too young to do it on my own. Also thank you for not getting impatient with me when you were teaching me to cast and when I caught more twigs than I ever did fish.

Thank you for teaching me how to drive.

Thank you for teaching me to always use my blinker, to always drive with one hand on the top of the steering wheel, and to always go five miles over the speed limit. (Anyone who doesn’t is clearly just out to get us and needs to be intimidated.)

Thank you for teaching me not to be afraid of a little dirt.

Thank you for teaching me that a little dirt never hurt anything. In fact, you usually have to get dirty to get stuff done.

Thanks for teaching me how to change my oil and put a spare tire on.

Thank you for looking out for me and caring enough to teach me how to change my oil. And then going as far as teaching me how to put a spare on. Sitting back and trusting me the whole time, even when I put the tire on backwards.

Thanks for teaching me to love old cars.

Thank you for teaching me to appreciate the finer things in life. For helping me realize that thing are better with age, and for teaching me how to decipher between a 1969 Charger and a 69 Challenger.

Thanks for teaching me to love all animals and bugs.

Thank you for supporting my love for animals by letting me have pets. You and mom have always let me have some kind of creature in the house, and I can never thank you enough for letting me have a companion in all my pets. You have always encouraged me to have an open heart when it comes to animals, and I can’t thank you enough for creating that passion in me.

Thanks for teaching me the differences between venomous spiders and snakes and nonvenomous ones.

Thank you for teaching me not to be afraid of snakes and spiders, only when it’s necessary. You’ve shown me how to tell if a snake/spider is venomous or if I can pick one up and take him home with me.

Thank you for teaching me what good music is.

Thank you for showing me that a good Journey record is 10 times better than anything that I could listen to on Spotify. Also, thanks for all your old records. So freaking cool.

Thanks for teaching me what good food is.

Thank you for teaching me that gumbo is food from the gods, that basically anything tastes good on mashed potatoes. And that if you put meat in a smoker, it comes out blessed, and you will cry harder than you could ever imagine because it is so beautiful.

Thank you for always being willing to watch SpongeBob with me.

Thank you for always sitting down, no matter how tired you are, and watching shows with me. I’ve always admired how selfless you are and hope to some day be half the person you are.

Thank you for never getting impatient with me when I ask you dumb questions.

Thank you for always answering my “What type of bug is this?” “What type of car was that?” and “What does this do?” questions. You’ll never understand how much it means to me when you respond, usually without laughter, and give me a detailed explanation on it.

Thank you for teaching me to be a goofy person.

Thank you for teaching me to be who I am. Because of you, I’m not afraid to be me. Thanks for teaching me that “your mom” is a great response to anything anyone says, and thank you for reminding me how to laugh when I almost forgot how to.

Thank you for just being there.

But mostly thanks for just being my friend. Most kids don’t get the privilege of saying their dad is one of their best friends, but I am extremely blessed to have you as my best friend and dad. So thank you, Dad, for everything you have done and scarified to give me the life that I have lived. I am so extremely grateful for you.

Love,

Your Baby Girl