When you came into my life, I absolutely hated you.

At the age of five when your parents are splitting up and then comes along this man that makes your mom crazy happy, you can’t help but blame him for everything that’s going wrong in the world. Even if that meant blaming you for world hunger.

I wanted you gone. You were taking my mother's attention and none of us liked that. But even though I didn’t like you, I couldn’t help but see how happy you made her.

Thank you for loving my mother. My mother is powerful beyond measure. She is fearless, and she is strong. Many people could be intimidated by her, but you embrace her.

I know I tell you all the time you should tell her that you love her more often, but I just know that’s because she loves to hear it, not because you don’t say enough. She loves to know that with everything going on and everything she has put you through, you still love her.

I know no family is easy and all families have their battles, but dang has this one has put you through the ringer. Granted there were a few moments when you had to take a step back and breath from all of us, but you always managed to adapt to the changes going on.

You have managed to stick by my mother’s side and hold her hand through everything.

Thank you for teaching me that no matter where you are from, you can make anything of yourself. You come from a small outskirts town, yet you own one of the largest small businesses in this state. You encouraged me to chase after my dreams, even if that meant going to college 500 miles away.

Thank you for teaching me that no matter what age you are, if you aren’t happy you can still do something about it. You spent over 20 years with the same woman, yet at an age when most people would have given in, you let go. You knew that woman wasn’t right for you and you couldn’t keep living a life of unhappiness, and you did something about it.

And had you not done something about it, I wouldn’t be writing this today.

Thank you for putting your best together at raising a teenage girl. I know I’m a handful and I know I haven’t been easy, but with all the work and efforts at least I haven’t turned out that bad.

You raised three boys before you met me, so when a little girl walked into your life asking about how her outfit looked you weren’t quite sure how to handle it.

You could’ve done what most stepdads nowadays do and you could’ve ignored me, but you didn’t. You took interest in the things that mattered to me even if you had to search the internet for 20 minutes to understand what I was talking about.

Thank you for listening to me. We both know I can talk your ears off till they bleed. And at first you weren’t quite sure how to handle that, but now you jump right in with full involvement and full interest and that means a lot to me.

I know I can go on and on about things that you normally would have no interest, but the fact that it interests me, interests you.

Thank you for choosing to be a part of this family because it wouldn’t be the same without you.

I love you.

-Your daughter