Dear Daddy,

It’s me, your not-so-little-little-girl. Where did the time go? It feels like I blinked my eyes and suddenly aged 20 years, and I’m sure you feel the same. Remember when you pushed me around the house in a laundry basket and I had the time of my life because I felt like I was driving? Or when you brought me skiing for the first time when I was 5 years old and I raced down the bunny hill only to realize I didn’t know how to stop, so I skied right into you and knocked you down? Wow, those were the times.

I could go on forever naming little moments that you probably forgot, or thought I had forgotten. These moments are what made my childhood so special. These are the moments I look back on when I’m sitting in my dorm missing home. So thank you for providing me with such vivid memories and unforgettable moments, I truly cherish and appreciate them a lot more than you may think I do.

Here I am now, nearly 20 years old and the world is at my fingertips. I have dreams, goals, and aspirations that you fully support to no end. You helped me get to where I am today. You made me the person that I am, and for that--there are no words to fully describe how thankful I am for you.

You never fail to brighten my day with your endless dad jokes and sarcastic nature that I seem to have inherited. You are constantly bending over backwards for me, giving me everything that I could’ve asked for and more. You are my biggest support system, the person I call when something goes right or when things go terribly wrong, and you are my best friend.

Thank you for never giving up on me, even when I turned from a bratty 12 year old to a rebellious teenager. Thank you for putting up with the female dramatics about the newest clothing line and when my next hair appointment is. Thank you for being the person I think of when someone asks me who my role model is, because without having you to look up to I wouldn’t be nearly as motivated to succeed in life. In short, thank you for being you.

No matter how I old I get, wherever I choose to live once I graduate, and whatever I end up doing with my life, I will always be your little girl and you will always be the person who guided me and shaped me into the person that I will forever be.

I am so proud that I get to call you my father.