"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what." -Unknown

I've been thinking about writing this article for awhile now, but every time I went to type it I didn't know how to put what I was thinking into words. With Father's Day among us, I thought now would be the perfect time to find some combination of words to show how grateful I am for someone very special in my life.

A good chunk of the first seven years of my life was just me, my mom, grandparents, and a bunch of animals, which I was beyond okay with. It's what I was used to. Though in that seventh year, someone came into my life that I didn't know then would have such an impact on my life. His name was Bryan, and he pretty much came into my life at the perfect time.

We became incredibly close pretty quickly. Probably had something to do with the fact he's still a kid at heart, but that's one of the things I love about him still. I was beyond elated when him and my mother eventually married. The way I saw it was basically like he was stuck with.

I know being a step-father cannot be easy, especially to a spoiled seven-year-old who was used to getting her way, but you never once made me feel out of place or like I didn't belong. Your entire family took me in and treated me as one of their own, and for that, I am beyond thankful.

I don't think you will ever know how much I appreciate the efforts you've made to be a father to me when you didn't have to. You were the one who spent time practicing basketball with and sat in the stands of every game you could. You sat with me and helped me do my homework when my mother had told me she would no longer be useful in doing my homework. You checked in on me almost every week while I was at college to make sure I was doing okay. You've been someone I can open up to and confide in when I feel like the world is crashing down around me. We can go from a fun topic like superheroes to a serious conversation about politics without any problems. You made an unplanned stop at our house after you heard about my head injury so that you knew I was okay, which was something that you didn't need to or have to do, but you did it without hesitation.

You've simply been an important figure in my life. Some of my fondest memories growing up were with you such as our family trip to Chicago, where I wore the wrong shoes or the trip to Florida where I was terrified of the Jurassic Park ride so I used you as my human shield because I refused to see the T-Rex. You were one of the first people I thought about when I had to decide who to give my ten tickets to for my high school graduation last year since I probably wouldn't have survived school without you.

It sucks not seeing you every day. I miss having you around 24/7, but I know you will always be there when I need you, which I appreciate. You made me realize that blood doesn't make someone your family. It's the people who show you that care about you and your well-being. I didn't exactly choose, but I wouldn't trade you for the world. You aren't my step-dad. You are my dad in every sense of the word. You filled a vacancy in my life. For that, I will always be thankful. I love you. I hope this shows a fraction of how much you mean to me and what you've done to help my life. Thank you for being you.