Dear Dad,

I’m the emotional type, as you know very well. However, I’m not the sentimental-mushy type of emotional. And because of that, I don’t think you know how very much I love you and appreciate you. So I’m taking this time to write you a letter full of things I want you to know.

I want you to know that I miss you, and even though I don’t call or text you much, I think about you every day.

I want you to know that even though I call you “lame," I (secretly) think you’re pretty cool.

I want to know that even though I secretly think you're cool, sometimes you're also pretty gross. Why is it necessary for you to constantly be farting?

I want you to know that I think you’re a wonderful husband to mom. Sometimes you two are gross, (like eww don’t grope each other in the kitchen), but I hope to someday find someone who loves that much.

I want you to know that you’re a really great dad. My sister and I didn’t always have all the things we ever wanted, but you somehow made sure that we always had everything we could have ever needed.

I want you to remember that my sister is not me. Be gentler with her.

I want to thank you for giving me the genes that gave me the same nose as you. I really love my nose.

I want to thank you for teaching me how to check the oil in my car and how to properly cook a steak.

I want to thank you for teaching me to be independent. You’re not really the mushy emotional type either, and you and mom were definitely never “helicopter” parents. Thank you for allowing me to make my own mistakes, and to then learn from them.

I want you to know that I worry about you and your health. I think that you shouldn’t have to work so hard, and I think you should get more sleep. I also think that you should eat more vegetables. (And no, tater tots do not count as a vegetable).

I think that you might find "Parks and Recreation" amusing if you could ever bring yourself to watch it.

I want you to know that I admire you. I admire how hard you’ve worked throughout your whole life to get where you are and where you wanted to be.

I want to thank you for teaching me work ethic.

I want to thank you for teaching me how to be tough. There were many arguments that we have had that I think were just for the sole purpose of arguing. I wasn’t always right but neither were you. Those arguments taught me how to control my emotions, even when I just wanted to cry.

I want to thank you for teaching me how to be strong in my convictions. Through every argument or “debate” or talk we’ve ever had, you’ve taught me the importance of knowing what I believe in and defending that belief. Nowadays, we might not always agree on every issue, but I have you to blame for my own stubbornness.

I want to thank you for always supporting me even when you don’t agree with me.

Finally, I want you to know how much I love you, because there is no one that I will ever love as much or in quite the same way.

Love always,