Dear Dad,

From the time I could remember you have always been the greatest at giving life lessons. " It is all a mind game" you would say whenever I was terrified and I was fighting the doctors to not give me that dreaded flu shot. Or "Nothing in life is easy" when I would come home to you crying about how hard my classes at school were or how stressed out life made me feel. You always had the best proverb for any situation in my life and frankly your words is what got me throughout them all.

Let me first off start by saying that I would not be anywhere near where I am without you.

Pushing me to get up after I fall and scratched myself taught me how to be strong and to always get back up after I fall. Pushing me to ride my bike without training wheels, got me to be an expert at bike riding since the age of nine. Pushing me to always try new things got me master the piano. Pushing me to practice parallel parking and not get discouraged after failing my drivers test (ps it was the poles fault) got me to be a flawless driver of 3 years and counting. Pushing me to get the best grades, and being the best student I could ever be in school got me into my dream University. Pushing me to reach my full potential and to never give up no matter how hard the stress of school hit me, lead me on the path I'm on today. Pushing me to always be a kind, opened hearted person got me a life time full of friends and taught me to always be kind to others. Pushing me to always be open minded and accepting of other peoples ideas, thoughts, religion, and culture taught me not to be ignorant. Your provided me with all of the "necessities" I needed to live the life I wanted to. But you always went above and beyond to make sure that I not only had food, clothes, and a home. But that I also had loving arms to come home to.

Thank you for never making me feel any less than beautiful. And for always bringing me up when I was down. Thank you for always saying yes, even when mom said no. Thank you for always making me feel like daddy's little princess and for being the very first man I truly loved.

Thank you for being the source of everything I am today. I would be nowhere near who I am without you!

I may be too old to sit in your lap but I will always be your little girl!

I love you always,

Your Daughter

(Ps. also thanks for being my personal bank account and feeding my starbucks addiction)

"She did not stand alone but what stood behind her was the most potent moral force in her life and it was the love of her father"