Dear Stepdad,

I feel as if the title "stepdad" doesn't really cut it because basically you are my dad, and might I add you have totally rocked at it. You took on a responsibility that most men would never, that even my biological father couldn't even handle, and you have done such an awesome job. I know I don't show my appreciation much, but I promise you that I am so thankful that you came into our lives and never left.

I honestly think being a stepdad might actually be cooler than just plain old dad because it means that you took on a role that you were not originally intended to have. Regardless of having no biological ties to me, you have always treated me like a real daughter. You had always basically been apart of our family, but you walked into the situation and stepped up to the plate and became an awesome parent. In the past I didn't see this as a big deal, but now looking back it blows my mind because you do care about me so much more than my biological father ever could. You took the pieces that he left and made it into something which allowed me to grow and become the person I am today.

Since you have come into our lives there has never been a moment where I questioned your love for us. Whenever times are tough you could easily walk away and never look back, but you have always chose to stay. Growing up I never knew that the child wasn’t supposed to try super hard to make their father care, but I never had to go out of my way for you to care about me.

You never treated me as if I did not have a voice or my own thoughts. Now you may not have seen that this was ever a big deal, but for me it meant the entire world because even now my father doesn’t think I can think for myself. From the very beginning you have always listened to me and understood that even though I was the child that I could have an opinion of my own. As I have made my way through my life up until now, you have stood behind me and supported everything I have said or anything I ever did. Even though sometimes you don’t agree with my opinions or decisions you never stop supporting me regardless of differences which means so much. Not only have you supported my voice, but also anything I may be involved with. Until you came into my life I never knew what it was like to not have to beg and pray that my dad would be there, but with you I never even had to ask. You made sure you were at every single milestone of my life from cheerleading competitions to my high school graduation. Every memory I have you are apart of.

As I have gotten older I realize that being a dad is an extremely difficult task. I used to more so think that being my dad is the hard part, that maybe I just made it difficult, but you have proved that totally wrong. By your actions, you have showed me that I was not the problem in mine and my fathers relationship. Whenever it comes to my happiness you do whatever it takes where as he could never seem to make any sacrifices. It was never about what’s best for me, but what was best for him. Regardless of everything he’s done you always pushed me to never give up on him, you always helped me keep hope. This alone just shows the type of person you are because by doing this you only have my best interests at heart. You wanted him to care just as much as I did, maybe even a little more. You didn’t want me to go through the pain of growing up without a dad but just by you being here I have never had to do that.

Thank you for literally everything you do. I really don’t think I could put every thing into words that you do because we would literally be here for years. You do so much more than you realize and you mean even more. Thank you for never leaving and for always being such an amazing dad.

Love always,

Baily