What makes a strong woman? Last week was International Women Day and it got me thinking what makes me strong. What makes any woman strong?

I was thinking of all the world famous women that people look up to. What gives them strength to fight for what they believe, what gives them the strength of being worthy.

When I think of a strong woman I think of Mulan, though fictional, going and fighting for her country because she didn't want her father to have to. They don't show you just how scared she probably was.

But Mulan didn't have to do that, she wanted to. She was raised to put family over everything. She chose to go out there and have a man made out of her.

When I was little I looked up to her because my dad was also in the military. I used to wonder if given the opportunity, would I go overseas to fight in place of my dad?

Growing up with him as my dad I swear I was a typical military brat. I got spanked more than your average kid. I don't blame him though, it was probably because my favorite words were “no” and “I don’t care”.

He knew sending me to my room wasn’t the answer because I’d sit up there and play barbies by myself. He would ask me “do you want a spanken” and I’d say something along the lines of “sure” because I wanted him to know that I was the boss.

I wasn't just a defiant child though, I was a little out there too. My mom used to say, 'she walks to the beat of her own drum'. I was the girl that walked out of the house in a ‘skirt shirt’ aka a long flowy shirt worn as a tube top.

He encouraged me from the beginning of my life to be who I wanted to be and love it. I was his little girl and he was my favorite man.

I remember this one time I was in the kitchen and I asked if I could make him a sandwich for lunch. After hearing his approval I went to work: bologna, ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, American cheese, mayonnaise ....chocolate syrup....a fruit by the foot...a smashed up banana....honestly anything available.

When I brought it to him, I remember him eating the whole thing. Down to the last, what probably was an m&m or something.

Because he was a military man, he had to miss some things growing up when he was overseas but he was there almost every recital, musical, and band concert.

Every year us girls sat in the living room and listened to him as he read ‘Twas the night before Christmas’. One year when he was overseas, he got up early to read it to us over Skype before we went to bed.

Let me tell you that man was a hero in more ways than one. I’m not going to sit here and pretend it was always cupcakes and rainbows but I never went to bed feeling unloved.

I was sitting in his room one night at the foot of my parents' bed when he walked by me, patted me on the shoulder and said, “Sophie, you’re so beautiful, you're turning into a wonderful young lady.” And honest to God he was always like that.

It's weird to look back at my life from where I am now and see the girl that I have become. Today I am strong. I’m am worthy because I have been taught to know my worth.

I will never be with a man that treats me anything less than how my father treats my mother because he set the standards so high. I am beautiful and wonderful in my own way. I have been raised in such a way where my father has lead me and my family to be strong.

I know that I would not be the woman I am today had it not been for him. So Dad, thanks for coaching my soccer team when I was in kindergarten, forcing me on the rollercoaster even though I cried the whole time, teaching me to drive stick shift, and letting me know I'm always good enough.

A woman is only as strong as the man who raised her so thanks for raising me the way you did.