To the man who raised me:
You never planned on raising a third daughter, but you got me. Whether that was a blessing or a curse is still up for debate.
It was never your job to be my father, it was your job to be my grandfather, but you stepped up to the plate and took on the extra responsibility anyway.
When my dad was away, you took me to the Girl Scout "Me & My Guy '07" dance and taught me how to fish (even though I'm not that great and don't really like the outdoors anyways.)
You showed up at every possible track meet, and made a point to call me after when you couldn't be there. You're the reason I ever made it past middle school track in the first place. I will never forget the call after I qualified for the state meet my freshman year of high school when you told me I was your idol. I don't think you'll ever understand how much that meant and still means to me. You have been my biggest supporter throughout my track career and it's because of you that I continue to run even when things don't go my way.
You are my rock during the most stressful times of life, always telling me that we will make it through and that the only people who matter are the people that love me. You taught me to be strong and never let them see how they get to me. You are the person I can vent to about everything bad, and I know you'll share my frustration and want to punch someone just as much as I do. You'll share my pain and carry my burden, and I know I wouldn't have been able to make it through a majority of what life has brought me without you. You've kept me sane even though some people think I've gone off my rocker.
You taught me to have a super sparkly day even when life isn't always that way. You helped me laugh even when I felt like crying. And most importantly, you never got too mad when I spent entire paychecks on lipsticks.
People may go on and on about how they have the greatest dads in the world. I may not be able to do that, but I have you. You are the person I tell my friends about. When people ask who my biggest influence has been, I say you. I don't think you know how many papers or speeches I've given about you and how you are my biggest supporter and the person who has shaped me.
Grandpa, you became more of a dad to me than my own father and I can never tell you enough how much I love you. I also can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for me over the last decade of my life in particular. You raised me to be a dedicated runner, a hard worker and most importantly, a strong woman. I may not have been your daughter, but you treated me like one.
You told me once that I was your idol and that you were so proud of me, and I want you to know how I feel. YOU are my idol and I am so proud that I got to be raised by you. My life will always be super sparkly as long as your around.
