I am, without a doubt, 100 percent, no question about it a daddy's girl at heart. There's just something about the guy that I could never get enough of growing up, and I am thankful to have such a wonderful man in my life. Though I don't say it enough, I love you with all my heart, and I am very thankful for all of the life lessons you were able to teach me in 20 short years.
Here are some things I never really got around to verbally thanking you for and some that I should have said thank you for at the top of my lungs.
1. Thank you for teaching me the power of a hug.
Whether it was after a long day at school and work, or a boy had been mean to me, or I hadn't seen you in a long time, your hugs were always the cure to any gray sky.
2. Thank you for teaching me that WD40 makes you go and duct tape makes you stop.
I learned that just because something appears broken at the surface, doesn't mean you have to throw it away and forget it ever existed. Sometimes things, and people, just need a little more love and attention to make them work properly again.
3. Thank you for setting my standards high.
You showed me that I am worth more than the low-life who always called me out on my looks. You showed me that I deserve to be nothing less than a first priority in anyone's life. You showed me all the potential I had, and never let me slow down when the going got tough.
4. Thank you for being my favorite coach.
Between life and my sports, you were the best coach I have ever had. You never stopped pushing me and always expected me to be better than I had been the day before—which is one of the first things I think about every morning.
5. Thank you for teaching me how to do a proper cannon ball.
If mom had taught me, I probably never would have gone back to the pool out of sheer embarrassment.
6. Thank you for the dad jokes.
They weren't always funny, but they somehow always made me laugh.
7. Thank you for teaching me to find my limits on my own.
And for teaching me how to break through those limits like they were a sheet of paper.
8. Thank you for forcing me to spend quality family time.
I never wanted to do it but I am so happy that we had mandatory family time growing up. Being in college makes me miss it, and you, even more.
9. Thank you for teaching me to rub some dirt on and stop crying.
Nobody likes a cry-baby, and unless your leg is falling off, you'll be alright.
10. Thank you for calling me out on my B.S.
There aren't many other people brave enough in this world to do that when I need it the most.
11. Thank you for teaching me to never throw the first punch.
Sometimes biting your tongue is the best option you have. But you taught me that if all else fails, call it self-defense.
12. Thank you for teaching me to never give anything less than my all.
You taught me, and showed me, time and time again, that if the activity or person I was pursuing was worth my time, then they should be prioritized accordingly, and they deserve my all.
I know I was a real pain in the butt growing up. Neither time nor distance has slowed that down, but thank you anyway. Thank you for being my biggest fan. Thank you for being my first role model. Thank you for being my best friend.
