Dear Dad,

I wanted to dedicate this blog post to you in order to tell you some things that I don't tell you often enough. I want you to know how much I truly appreciate you and everything that you do for me. From teaching me learning how to ride a bike to helping me learn how to drive (which I know is not easy), you always have an amazing sense of patience and persistence. You believe in me even when I don't believe in myself, in everything that I do. Throughout school, I truly believe that the reason that I was so successful was because of the way you and Mom continuously encouraged me.

I admire so much about you. You're one of the most dedicated and hardworking people that I know. Yet you also know how to have fun and relax. You don't just have hobbies; you have passions. I love the way you put your whole heart into everything. I think I get my sense of passion from you, because like you, when I care about something, I care with all my heart. I love how you know so many facts that no one else knows, and how you are constantly learning about the world around you. Your sense of curiosity and adventure inspires me everyday. You have instilled in me a yearning for travel and a thirst for adventure, no matter where I go.

I am so grateful for everything that you do for me. Every vacation that we went on over the years has helped me mold me into a more worldly person, and has taught me so much. I want you to know how much each of those trips truly meant to me. Every hike that you brought me on, every boat rise that we went on, no matter how much I complained at the time, meant so much to me. Every time that we spend together makes me so happy. I hope that we can always be as close as we are now.

Lastly, I admire the way that you love mom and I hope one day I can love someone in the same way. I am so grateful for our family and the love that we all share. I know that family makes you happiest, and you showed me that family is most important in life. You showed me that no matter what, it's important to keep a positive attitude and to never give up on anything.

I love you forever. Happy birthday!

-Clare