When I was younger, I heard someone say something along the lines of "not everyone's dad is their father and not everyone's father is their dad." At a young age, this baffled me, how could someone who is your father not be the person you call Dad? How could your Dad not be your father? Until I was put in this situation, this did not make much sense to me. The older I became the more and more I comprehended that statement, though.

Being raised by a parent who is not biologically related to you may be hard to comprehend sometimes and may confuse some people but it made sense to me from almost the beginning. From day one, you stepped up to the plate and treated me just like your own child. You loved me, cared for me, and made sure I never went without anything. You made sure I developed into a decent person and that I learned from my mistakes. You made me work hard. You showed me what it was like to have a real father, not just someone who was there when it was convenient for them, so I would like to say thank you.

Thank you for choosing to be my father when you weren't forced to be.

Thank you for raising me, believing in me, and loving me unconditionally at all times (even when I was being a brat).

Thank you for pushing me to do better and never allowing me to settle.

Thank you for calling me out on my extremely poor taste in guys and never letting me forget my worth.

Thank you for never making me feel bad about my mistakes, but instead just helping me fix them.

Thank you for always being my shoulder to cry on, even if it is just something small like being overly sensitive about the fact that Mom yelled at me.

Thank you for making me work hard.

Thank you for being you, the best dad there could ever be for me.

Thank you for never leaving.

I know raising a daughter like me was definitely not easy. I am stubborn, thick headed, and extremely opinionated. I am always right until proven wrong. I am sassy, sarcastic, and love to debate. Thanks for sticking it out and raising me anyway.

Thank you for showing me the love a father should have for his child.

Love,

Kid.