They're the only ones who can repeatedly look back at you with a big smile each year after receiving yet another tie as a present, even though they give you the whole world each day. From pushing you on the swing in the backyard to always pushing you toward success, they were always there to fall back on. They stood behind you and guided you as you swung the bat in t-ball. When you missed, they helped you get back up to bat, literally as a toddler, and figuratively many, many times as an adult.

Here's to you, Dad, If you are reading this, that means you survived my middle school phase, so congratulations for that. You don't get enough credit, like I assume most Dad's don't, because how can you begin to thank someone who gives you the whole world? To thank you for carrying me up the stairs to bed every time I fell asleep in the car, and for carrying me through all my difficult times no matter how stubborn I was. For cracking a joke just at the right time to make me smile, and for filling the house will the smell of bacon every Sunday. No one cooks breakfast like a dad can. You never failed to make me feel loved, no matter what country you were traveling to for business. We always had our own ways to make it less painful to say goodbye. You always found a way to make it to every dance recital, basketball game, soccer game, you name it. Family always came first for you, and I am only now beginning to understand that making time to do that for three kids with your busy schedule could not have been easy.

You still take the picture for me even when I ask one too many times, and convince me that they look great every time despite my complaints of "blurriness" or "looking bad." From watching kids' TV shows to now sitting through the countless chick flicks I watch, you always seem content just to be together. Next movie is your choice, but I think my rom-coms have grown on you.

You reluctantly shook my boyfriend's hand just to make me happy, and you always held mine when anything went wrong. There is no better dance partner at any wedding or father daughter dance than you, even though we went from you letting me stand on your feet as we danced, to you stepping on mine. Just kidding, you're great, Dad.

One thing has always remained the same in all my fairytale wedding dreams since from when I was a toddler, and that is that you will be walking me down the aisle and having our father-daughter dance. I already feel like the luckiest girl in the world because of that.

So, Dad, I know I can't ever thank you enough for all you do for me, but I'm going to try my best to every day. I hope you are as proud as I am to be my Dad as I am to be daddy's little girl.