Dear Dad,

I can’t remember a time in my life that you weren’t there. From the minute I was born, you’ve been my rock, my protector, my teacher, and my shoulder to cry on. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be standing here today as the strong, brave young woman you have made me into. Thank you for everything that you do, and continue to do, not only for me but for our family as well. The amount of love I have for you could never be summed up into words, but with this letter, I hope that you can at least gain an insight into how much you truly have impacted my life.

First, thank you for all the countless times that you’ve been there for me. Whether the occasion was big or small, you were always there when I asked you to be, even when I told you not to be, but still really did want you there. Because of this, you’re always the first one I call when I have a problem, when I’m not sure how to fix something, or when I just need help adulting a little bit, because I know that you will always pick up the phone and make time for me even when you’re busy. Even when you have a million things on your plate, you always make room for a million and one when I need your help. Without you, I wouldn’t be doing as well as I am, and I definitely wouldn’t be living in my room, because all of the spiders that you’ve had to kill for me would’ve taken over. I appreciate you and all of your hard work more than you will ever know, and I hope you know that it never goes unnoticed.

Thank you for always being my #1 supporter, even when all I was getting was a participation award. Thank you for showing up to every single one of my games in high school, even after long days of work, just because you wanted to watch me play, for rooting for me when I got straight A’s for encouraging me to keep working hard when I didn’t. Your support is what drives me to do better everyday, and become an even better and stronger person. Without your support, I wouldn’t be able to keep a scorebook and read baseball stats, know how to shoot a gun, stand up for myself, or be the strong, independant woman that I am today.

Thank you for always being my role model, and for being the one that I always have looked up too. Growing up, you have showed me how to be kind and generous to everyone, even when it's hard, because it is the right thing to do. Thank you for teaching me selflessness, respect, and honesty, and for always proving that with these skills, you can get yourself anywhere in life. You have showed me the way that a man should treat a woman in the ways that you love Mom, and have taught me to never settle for anything less than I deserve, and for that I am forever thankful. Having you as my role model my entire life has made me a much better person than I would have been without you, and I would be beyond lucky to marry a man that is even half as great as you are, Dad.

Finally, thank you for always being my best friend. Thank you for being the one person I could always count on at the end of the day to be waiting for me with a big hug, unconditional love, and maybe a donut too. Being able to tell you everything makes me appreciate the strength of our relationship, because I know not every girl is lucky enough to have a dad who is basically a therapist too, but I sure am. Thank you for always being down to play a game of catch, go shopping with me to find the perfect shoes for any event, jamming out to Brad Paisley on long car rides with me, and just being there when I needed someone on both the good days and the bad. No matter how old I get, you will always be my first best friend and my King, and I will always be your princess and your little girl. I love you more than you will ever know Dad, Happy Father’s Day.

Forever and Ever,

Your Little Girl