Father's Day is just around the corner, and when I sat down to write an article for this week, I could think of nothing but dad jokes. (Here's my favorite one: Me: ‘Hey, I was thinking… ’ My dad: ‘I thought I smelled something burning'.) I figured that this was a sign that my article should be about dads and all the amazing things that they do for us. Let's be honest, dads just don't get enough credit. Especially mine. He lives with my mom, two daughters, and a (female) dog. Despite the fact that he is drastically outnumbered by women, he fits in like a total champion. There's so much that we should thank dads of daughters for, and here are just a few of them.
1. For being so patient and understanding when teaching you how to drive.
2. For telling you that no guy will ever be good enough for you, and making sure that you know your worth.
3. But, for still trying to be nice to the guys you bring home.
4. For somehow knowing exactly what to say to make you feel better when you're upset.
5. For seriously crushing breakfast food. Like, are all dads born with a knack for making scrambled eggs and french toast?
6. For helping to pay for sorority dues, dinners out with friends, shopping sprees, and really just paying for lots of stuff.
7. For helping with math homework. Seriously, thank you.
8. For making you feel better about mistakes you've made by telling you all about the crazy things they did in high school.
9. For teaching you about guy things, and allowing you to inevitably use that knowledge to impress boys.
10. For knowing so many random facts that conversations with you are never boring. If my dad had to enter a contest wherein he had to spout off facts about warfare and baseball records, he would be the world champion.
11. For embarrassing you in front of your friends. Honestly though, your friends all thought he was so cool and funny so it wasn't really even embarrassing and you know it.
12. For always having your back, no matter what happened.
13. For always saying he loves you before he hangs up the phone or before you go to bed, no matter how old you are.
14. For NEVER letting you down.
15. And for always making you feel better when someone else did.
16. For passing on his really weird sense of humor.
17. For always making you feel safe and protected.
18. For helping you move into your dorm room in college. Seriously, shout out to my dad for helping me haul about eight suitcases of clothes home.
19. For being able to fix literally anything.
20. Proving that men are totally capable of buying tampons for the women in their lives. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
21. For being a great model for the kind of husband that you deserve.
22. And for being the example you measure every other guy against, knowing that no one will ever come close to him.
Dad, I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart how much I love, cherish, and appreciate you. I am amazing every day by your ability to love unconditionally, trust wholeheartedly, and be fiercely loyal to the people that you love and care about. I can honestly say that when it comes to your personality and the way you handle yourself, you have never truly met a stranger. Everyone that you interact with comes away feeling happier. My friends used to always tell me that they really came over to hang out with you and mom, and I can totally understand why. You have shown both me and my sister what to expect when it comes to our husbands. In your life, you have shown such integrity and strength, through your time in the Marines, and in your tireless work ethic. Thanks for everything that you do. Thanks for loving us no matter what, and for always making us feel safe. You truly are the best, pops. I am so thankful for you.
