There is this hard working, family loving, dedicated, smart man that is one of the strongest people that I have ever met. My dad is a pretty amazing guy I am not just saying that because he's my dad, I truly believe that. Of course our bond is not all sunshine and rainbows, but it is truly special. My dad has been there for me since day one. My dad never judges who I am, he loves me no matter and supports me. A lot of children thank their mom for everything but I think Dad's get forgotten due to the fact that typically dad's don't talk much about their feelings but dad's deserve so much thank yous.

Growing up my dad and I shared the bond for the love of thrill and adventure. My dad and I would always ride roller coasters together. When we would go on one he would hold me in so I would not fall out, even though I was buckled in he still held me in and that made me feel safe.

Holding me he let me know that no matter what happens he's got me. By doing that dad showed me that is how I should be treated in life, that if my friends or even future boyfriends didn't have my back no matter what they shouldn't be around. Taught me that the ones who love you will always protect you, if they don't there is no love there. It was an important lesson to learn.

My dad is my rock, especially when I need hard cold truth. No matter how hard it was for him to tell me somethings he still told me because he wanted to protect me. Sometimes protecting someone you love means having to tell them the hardest things. Of course, my dad has upset me by not letting me go places or letting me do certain things, but looking back he only told me no to protect me. I think that most parents find it so hard telling their child no, but the ones that do teach their children an important thing to know whether the child notices at first or not. Even if he felt that me doing something, or going somewhere that I would slightly get hurt or be in the slightest bit of danger he would say no. I would like to thank him so much for that. Thank him for always looking out for me. Thankful for the fact that my parents taught me that yes you should go out and live but if there is an obvious danger to not go, because your life is way more important than any event.

However, I think the most important message that my dad ever taught me is through this poem called Footprints in The Sand:

"One night I dreamed a dream.

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,

especially at the very lowest and saddest times,

there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.

"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,

there was only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you

Never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you.""

The lesson that you may not understand why someone walks away but it's not always that they walk away but rather it's that they are there silently helping you. Don't give up, that support is always there you just have to notice where it is, does not always mean it's obvious. Know that to not doubt the ones that love you. The ones that do, typically aren't obvious that they are there but it's because they are carrying you through it there, they're not allowing you to sit there knocked down on the ground. My dad always taught me that you must make sure that thank them too and notice that the help comes in different ways, and that has opened my eyes so much. I've noticed more people have helped me more than I could ever know. I know this lays heavy on the Lord and religious aspect and I feel that is important too whether you're religious or not the word "Lord" can mean what you want it to be.

Dad's also tend to be harder on you than mom's I don't know why it's like that but I tend to find that it's that way in a lot of families. I want to thank my dad and every dad that is hard on their child because it helps them be stronger in this world. In this world today you have to have a tough outer shell because people are very mean and the world is rough. Forming the tough outer shell helps your child so much in this world. I know my dad definity have made me tough and made me realize how much I appreciate being able to be tough and handle a lot because there are still people who don't know how to and it is very difficult to handle with someone like that. Thank you dad for making me have a backbone and showing me to never give up no matter what. That giving up is never an option to use that backbone and hold your head high no matter what life throws at you.

The story you told me about how and why you became a lawyer is absolutely touching. You told me that after I was born and you held me for one of the first times was when you decided that you had to go to law school and it always made me wonder why. When I asked why, you said it was because you knew that I was a girl and I would eventually grow up and become expensive. So, you had to find a way to pay for everything. As sort of a joke but at the same time serious, I just kind of laughed. But, you followed up with the actual reason why, which was that you knew that you would never be able to tell me to follow my dreams as I grew up, and mean it, if you hadn't done that yourself. I am so unbelievably proud to be your daughter. I really appreciate you for telling me to follow my dreams, no matter what stood in my way or who told me I couldn't ever reach my dreams. When you told me to follow my dreams, you did not sugarcoat anything and you told me that following your dreams won't be easy, but be determined enough to get there and eventually you're going to get there. You haven't been anymore right.

You're not only a father. You're a friend, a brother, a husband, an uncle, and a coworker. You're amazing at every single one of those roles. You never let us down. Even if you think you have, you haven't. You've shown me to be strong, brave, determined, willing, accepting, kind, and loving.

Thank you for being the best Dad a girl could ever ask for!

Love you!

Go Pirates! - Shout out to Seton Hall Law School for accepting my dad and teaching him to be such an amazing lawyer!!