Dear Dad,

Thank you so much for everything you have ever done for me. I know I have said it before, but there is no way I could ever repay you for everything you have done over the last 19 years. One Odyssey article can't even explain how much I appreciate you; I think that would take a novel.

Thank you for always supporting me, even from 1,000 miles away. Living so far from you is so hard, and I wish more than anything that we lived closer together. Minnesota is just too far from Georgia.

I have always known that I can call you no matter what time of day it is and that you will always answer. You laugh and joke that you don't have good advice to give, but you always seem to say the right things for whatever the situation is. During freshman year, I called you just about every other day in tears over a tough day at work or a bad test grade, and you were always there for me. Looking back, so many of the things I worried about worked out just fine and weren't even a big deal in the first place, but you still listened and talked me through it anyways.

You helped to guide me through all of my struggles, whether it was what my brother did to anger me or what I was going to do when I realized my dream of med school was not a realistic possibility for me. You have always been the one I relied on to tell me what to do next, and your advice has never let me down.

You taught me everything. You taught me how to ride a bike and how to love someone unconditionally. You taught me what it means to be a parent and you have shown me how much I want to mean to my children in their lives. You have shown me what I will look for in my future husband and father of my children. And when that guy does come, he will have to receive your approval, because without your approval, I could never marry him.

I look forward to the day that you get to walk me down the aisle and to see you as a grandfather to my future children. I can't wait for you to hold and spoil my children the way you always did with me.

Thank you for always giving me everything, even when you didn't have much to give. You have always put me first and been so selfless. I have seen the hard times you have gone through, and you always wanted to make sure I had everything I needed first. I appreciate all of the help you have been willing to give.

I pray to God that you are never taken from me. When people talk about losing their dads, it often brings me to tears, because I cannot even bear the thought of living without you. I can't imagine a time that I can't call you just to tell you about my day.

Thank you, dad, for everything.

I can't even put into words how much I love and appreciate you.

Love always,

Your Little Girl.