Dad,

First, I love you. I know we don't say it often enough. It seems odd and awkward to say it out loud to each other; I don't know why it's awkward when we both feel that way in our hearts.

Second, I want to thank you for being the best dad you could be. We never went without; we always had food on the table, a roof over our heads, clean clothes to wear (aka the latest trends), and even though I know you likely had times that you worried about it, you never projected that worry to us.

Thirdly, I could start by thanking you for the easy things...

My bed(s), my clothes and the food that you put on the table, my college tuition, treating my boyfriend, friends, and I to so many awesome things, for cheering me on in countless games and swim meets, throwing me on your shoulders as I scored the only goal of what seems like a lot of soccer, and for the vacations pulled together so seamlessly and excellently. The patience, love, and understanding that you showed me in accepting me as I was... and not trying to push me into being anything else.

But somehow that feels like I've barely scratched the surface.

What I really want to thank you for is all of the small decisions that you made on a daily basis that I will never know about.

I want to thank you for the times that I cried as a baby, and you got up out of bed to hold me because you wanted to let Mom sleep.

I want to thank you for all of the bedtime stories that you read to me, even on those days you'd put in extra hours at work, the times that even the best story couldn’t fix. A lesser man would have outsourced the "responsibility" to his stay-at-home wife and gone straight to bed... but you chose not to, because you’re the greatest man I will ever know.

Growing up, you could always make me feel special. You would ask me to go for a ride to who knows where and we’d talk in the car; you’d take me out to breakfasts where you’d check in on my life. I still cherish the memory of those times alone together, just the two of us, wandering down the wrong aisle in Lowes. I will always hold memories of riding in your car, windows down, all four of us belting out "Cheeseburger in Paradise".

Thank you for working so hard and giving us a good life. When I look back, I feel nothing but gratitude and love. I always knew I was loved. You and Mom gave us the gift of confidence and self-love and those are invaluable no matter where we go in life. Thank you.

Thank you for the experiences and education you provided. Thank you for always doing your best to learn the newest form of math with me, and being so willing to look over my homework- regardless of the subject. Thank you for teaching me how to do well in English. It is my strongest subject, thanks to you. Thank you for building a solid, happy family for us and for teaching us to stand up for ourselves, to believe in ourselves, to set goals and to strive for more.

We may not always agree, and we may not have always gotten along perfectly, but that's because you taught me strength of character, stubbornness, standing strong in my beliefs, even when they're different from other people's, independence, self-reliance and a host of other survival skills.

Thank you for dealing with me in my darkest hour, debating, bickering, you name it. Thank you for showing me that most of the time it is not worth it, to just shut my mouth. Man, has that paid off (when I actually do it). Thank you for giving consideration to even the extremist of requests. Sometimes when I knew the answer was most likely no, I got the occasional yes, and I’m so thankful you gave me that much rope.

In high school, there were days I felt so alone, and so neglected by friends, boys, etc. but I knew that you would always be there for me to lean on. I knew that you would support me and help me whenever I needed it. Not being able to live under your roof sucks sometimes, you’re not right downstairs or down the hall anymore, and my daddy can’t hold my hand all the time. But I know that you are always a phone call away and I know you will come get me if I really needed you to.

I know that you would do anything for me, and that feeling makes me confident enough to get through my rainy days. I cherish the phone calls with you, walking back from the library late at night. I cherish even the silence on the other end of the phone because you’re tired, because it shows that you care so much about me.

I want to thank you for being the best possible role model I could have hoped for. I would be incredibly lucky to spend my life with a man that is half as good as you. Thank you for all of the moment-to-moment tiny decisions that you made, that I will never know about, that forged you into the man, husband and the father, that you became: the best one out there.