I don't think my Dad knows how much he means to me, and I also don't think that there are enough words to express my feelings towards him (but a 500-word article will have to do for now). I think that I am a lot to handle in a person. I have my flaws like every other person in the world, but I feel like I have put my parents through more in my 20 years than other parents would have to deal with in their entire life.

Even though my Dad grew up in a strict military family and is now in the U.S. Army, he has such a compassionate and gentle heart. He is stern when he needs to be, but understanding and caring when times get tough and I need someone to lean on. I wouldn't be the person I am today without him standing by my side through it all.

When I was a junior in high school, I wasn't going down a good path in life. My confidence and faith were at its lowest and I almost flunked out of school. With my Dad's encouragement, I transferred high schools two counties away and got a fresh start. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I was happy about transferring schools and moving away from my hometown, but looking back, it was one of the best things that could have happened for me. During that time period, our relationship was rocky, but I think because of that, it has made our relationship even stronger today. Without my Dad, I wouldn’t have graduated high school and be a newly accepted nursing student now.

I also can't thank my Dad enough for serving our country. He first deployed to Iraq when I was in first grade. I don't remember too much about that time because I was so young, but I do remember skyping him in the afternoon when he was about to go to sleep and being confused as to why it was so late for him (I didn't understand the concept of time zones yet). When he came back home, I brought him in for show and tell to my second-grade class. He brought Iraqi money for my classmates to pass around and look at. I was so proud to show him off.

Fast forward to May of last year when he was deployed again, but this time to Kosovo. Because I was much older this time around, him leaving for a year hit me like a ton of bricks. I remember the day before we were going to drop him off at the airport, I was stressing over what to wear the day of. Not because I cared what I looked like (I knew I would crying my eyes out anyways), but because it gave me something else to think about other than him leaving. Watching him go through security and then walk out of my sight was one of the hardest things that I've had to do. That experience made him returning home in March even sweeter, though.

So to my Dad, thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for never missing a dance recital, band concert, softball game, or college event even if you had worked all day. Thank you for believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. Thank you for being my hero, and most importantly, thank you for being you. I love you so much.