Let me just start by removing the word "step", because you are so much more than that.

You are my dad, and you stepped in when we needed you most.

I might have not liked nor respected you at the awkward age of 13 when you were successfully trying to punish me, but God knew not only my mom needed you but so did I.

You took on the role of becoming a parent when you didn't have to. You understood that when you chose to pursue a relationship with and marry my mother that you were also choosing me.

You chose me to be your daughter, and forever I will be that.

Papa, you are everything that our family was missing. As a new parent without any children of your own you learned how to comfort when it was needed, and you did a perfect job at it.

Sometimes I low key thought you were just going to drop us off in the middle of the woods a time or two, but then again we did give you crap in the beginning for placing us in the corner when we acted out.

Thank you for supporting, encouraging, and loving me unconditionally. There has never been a time where you haven't shown me love- just as Christ loves us.

You are so deserving of the title "dad" and you wear it beautifully and proudly.

Thank you for deeply loving my mother and for supporting her even when times are rough. And thank you for standing up for her when I was a pure brat acting purely selfish and only thinking of myself.

You are the definition of what a parent is and what a father should be.

I personally do not think that anyone is as lucky as I am. I thank God everyday that He chose you to be my earthy father who would show me the prime example of how Christ loves His children and how He never gives up on them.

I pray that you'll always know how important you are to me and that you'll never doubt my love for you because you are and will always be my dad.