Dear dad, here is a list of things I should have thanked you for before I wrote this article.

1.Thank you for always believing me (even when you probably shouldn’t have.)

You would sit and listen intently to each of my wild ambitions and ideas. You didn’t even blink an eye when I said I would become a professional ballerina, with no prior training, when I said I would go to the olympics for three different sports, or when I said I would start my own business that dealt solely with kittens. So, first of all thank you for being someone I knew I could come to with a crazy idea and still be met with a smile and a; “Go for it!”

2. Thank you for challenging me when that was the last thing I wanted.

You always know when I need an ample amount of support and when I needed to be questioned. I can not imagine the amount of bad decisions I would have made if it wasn’t for you challenging my ideas and actions. I am thankful for the way you could pinpoint the things I was doing that needed to be challenged and the things I did that needed support.

3. Thank you for not letting me go out on a date with that boy that I swore I was in love with.

I don’t think this one needs much explanation. I know in the moment when I slammed my door, screamed through tears, and stomped my foot that it seemed like I would never understand why you said no, but I look back on that moment as a true example of your love for me. You were willing to take the backlash of a angsty sixteen year old to protect me and I am thankful for that….well now I am.

4. Thank you for pushing me harder than I ever wanted to be pushed.

Thanks for the encouraging speeches about ACT prep, the words of wisdom about soccer training, and the helpful push through swimming. In the moment the last thing I wanted was to be pushed to work harder, but it always ended up helping me immensely, so thank you.

5. Thank you for showing me all the different ways to show love.

I think a lot of people go through life thinking love is simple and shown simply through sweet gestures, firm hugs, and lots of “I miss you’s”, but you showed me that, that's not always necessarily true. Love can be the long winded explanation on why I shouldn’t go to a party the night before the SAT. Love can be sitting on the sidelines and letting me make my mistakes even though you did “tell me so.” Love can be listening to me talk about the MOST ANNOYING GIRL IN THE WORLD for the fifteenth time during dinner. Love can even be the pain I see on your face when I cry about silly things because you know there isn't anything you can do to help me.

6. Thank you for telling me about the mistakes you made, so I can learn from them.

I know it was hard for you to disclose to your daughter the mistakes you made growing up, but I am thankful that you showed me that you can still be fine even without being perfect. I look at you and see a successful man with an amazing family and a great life and it means a lot to me to know that you don’t have to be perfect to get everything you've always wanted.

7. Thank you for spending more time looking for dresses with me than any person would want to admit.

I have fond memories of you searching through every dress at every mall even after I said almost everyone wasn't “the one.” You never gave up and you were so excited every time you found one that you thought would finally put an end to the search. I know it was hard to hide the eye rolls and the exhaustion, but you did it and for that I am thankful.

8. Thank you for never giving up on me.

Even when I sometimes wanted to give up on myself. Even when I didn’t think I would succeed. Even when I just wanted to quit. You never stopped believing in me and I don’t know what else I could ask for as a daughter. You were always there for the post soccer meltdowns, the pre ACT freakouts, and the general mental breakdowns. Even when I told you I was done, that I had given up, you still believed in me, so thank you. For always believing in someone who didn’t always believe in herself.

9. Thank you for letting me make my own decisions (for the most part).

There are times when you put your foot down, i.e the time I thought it would be a great idea to drop out of school and learn gymnastics, but for the most part you let me decide what was right and wrong for myself and I know that was hard for you. I know it was hard to sit back and watch me toy with the idea of something that you knew would end badly, but thank you for that, because I now know how to make my own decisions even if I don’t always make the right ones.

10. Thank you for being A LOT like me, because at least I know I’m not alone.

You gave me my large capacity to empathize, my drive to succeed, my big imagination, and my ability to remain hopeful. You also gave me my short temper, my superstitions, and my fear of the unknown. So, thank you for always being someone I know I can come to that will understand my weird quirks, because you have them too.

11. Thank you for encouraging me to face my fears.

I will never forget sitting next to you strapped into a harness on the edge of a boat waiting to be whisked away by a highly unstable looking balloon, and then flying high over the sea. Every part of me was telling me to rip of the harness and jump in the water and swim back to land, but you held my hand and it ended up being one of the most amazing experiences of my life. So, thanks for not letting me squirm out of that harness, even though I really wanted to.

12. Most of all...thank you for giving me my love for Alabama Football.

Not much else I can say about this one, but thank you for being Alabama's biggest fan with me.

Honestly, just thank you for being my dad. Thanks for always being around, thanks for caring for me, and thanks for always knowing what to say. I know we fight, I know we disagree on a lot of things, but I will always be thankful for everything you have done for me, and continue to do for me everyday. I love you, dad. Thank you.