Dear Dad,

It all started when you met my mom. You guys met and fell in love. You got married and decided you guys wanted to have children. Then a few years after you married my mom you guys had me, your firstborn.

I am so grateful you guys did because I would not be on the Earth if it wasn't for you guys. I have some fond memories with you throughout my 22 years of living. I remember you would always climb on the roof to fix the antenna so we would be able to watch television. You loved your movies and the whole surround sound and I remember you would always demo movies.

You are the reason why I am so picky when it comes to watching movies in the theater and why I love a good sounding movie with great picture quality. You always remind me of that time when I ran into your speaker as a child and created a dent in it and you just recently a couple of months ago finally pulled it out.

But, my fondest childhood memory I have with you is when you asked me to make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and you will tell me otherwise, but you told me that you wanted hot dogs in it. I can't believe the picture you took of it still exists and it made me laugh when you sent it to me.

I had a great childhood in Utah, I made great friends and I was able to walk to school every single day and then the divorced happened. I was a nine-year-old who was confused and upset.

I was upset with you and with mom and then you moved us to a different state. I did not know anybody in Missouri, I hated that we had to move and that I had to leave my friends in Utah.

Moving to Missouri was hard. I know you did your best as a single father. You worked your butt off providing for Brandon and I and I appreciate you very much for it. Things may have not been perfect, but we made things work. We were very blessed with what we had and the Lord has been good to us.

It may have been awkward when we had to go clothes shopping, but we got through it. You supported me in school and supported me in wanting to play the violin. I know I started out playing scales, not in tune, but as the weeks, months, and years went by, I become better and better. For my 15th birthday, you bought me my own violin.

You stayed with me in that room for two hours listening to me try each and every violin, until I found the one I loved. Then for Christmas, you bought me a new bow and I loved it. You supported me at every track meet you could go to and every orchestra competition.

Thank you for giving me those opportunities and for letting me do what made me happy, to express myself in music and for letting me have fun with tracking. Thank you for getting up every morning at four so we could make it to seminary at five. I know we do not see eye to eye on most things and that is okay.

We are both stubborn when it comes to certain things and I know I get my stubbornness from you. You did your best in raising me and all I ever wanted to do is make you proud. I always have fun when we work on the Jeep and when you teach me to do things on it, whether it be fixing or replacing something.

I know I may do things you don't like and may upset you, but I am just trying to find who I am, learning for myself how things work, growing up to become my own woman. Learning heartbreak and doing crazy things like going to college three hours away from home.

Thank you for helping me and supporting me through my college career. It has not been the easiest thing I have done in my life, especially me pursuing my dream to be a doctor. I always remember you and mom telling us when we were little, no matter what, we get our college education and here I am. Year five of college and I am so close to graduation!

Thank you for driving me down every single year to move me in and packing the Jeep so full that you can't see through the back window. All I want to do is make you proud and I hope that when you watch me walk across that stage at graduation in May, you will yell and scream for me. I love you so much dad and no matter how many arguments or disagreements we get into, I will always love you and will always be your little girl.