You really don't think about how sad your parents are when you go away to college. Every time I come home and have to head back up to school, I can see the sadness in their eyes. I guess I partially expected this from my mom, but not my dad. They both miss me a lot, but today, this one's for you, Dad.

Fathers are the first men you will ever love and the first to ever love you. They show you what a real man is. In the future, when you're old enough, you find yourself looking for the qualities in a companion that you find in your dad. You know a good man will possess similar, if not the same, characteristics as your father. Dads can seem overprotective at times, but this is because you're their little girl. In my case, I'm the oldest, so not only am I my father's little girl, but also his first born. I have yet to bring home a boy to meet my parents, but I know that the day I do, my father will most likely interrogate him to make sure that he sees in this boy what I see in him- a strong, caring, considerate individual who will treat me the way my father treats my mother. I expect nothing less from my dad. After all, I'm his little girl.

Often times you'll find that your mom might be more lenient than your dad, in terms of anything from what you're wearing out in public to whether or not you can go to a party. I respect this difference in leniency. I think this is because your father knows how men can treat women, because he once was a boy surrounded by other boys who might've treated women in such a way. This is what may lead him to be more hesitant to let you out in a skirt that is not knee length, or to a party with alcohol and a high presence of boys. You need to respect his restrictions, because at the end of the day your Dad loves you and is just looking out for your well being.

Fathers teach you how to get dirty. They teach you how to fall down in the mud and laugh about it. They introduce you to many things that are more frequently done by men than by women. Since I was little, snowmobiling has been the sport that my family does together. For years we have been taking trips up North to snowmobile on trail systems. It's something that I love and I have to thank my dad for introducing me to it. Once you can ride a snowmobile, an ATV is a piece of cake (we have one of those too). My dad is also the one who taught me how to fish, crab, clam and drive a boat. He has instilled in me a love of the water, which is a good thing to have given where I live. My dad has also taught me how to shoot and I'm very grateful for this. He sleeps better at night (and I do too) knowing that his little girl knows how to protect herself. Our mothers teach us a lot of things, but our fathers help us to appreciate the "manlier" things in life, even if we are the girliest of girls.

A lot of people don't appreciate their fathers as much as they should. I know this- I often fail to do so myself. I forget to tell both of my parents how much they mean to me. The truth is, they mean the world to me. They are the reason I'm here, being myself and following my goals. They are my support system and biggest fans. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am without my parents. So Mom, don't be offended. I love you both the same.

Remember to appreciate both of your parents for all that they've done for you, but in this particular case, remember to thank your dad. Thank him for being the one man who will always love you regardless of anything. Thank him for being overprotective because he only wants what's best for you. Thank him for having restrictions on what you can and can't do, because he wants to make sure you are safe. Thank him for teaching you how to get dirty and appreciate sports, cars and the outdoors. Thank him for allowing you to grow as a person. Thank him for being there for anything and everything.

Not all fathers are perfect, but mine's as close to perfect as he can be.