To have a "rock" in the family, is to have a great dad. He's the first guy any daughter loves and the only man's love she will never have to question. He is our first and forever hero.

He's the first one up and ready to take you to a soccer game on a Saturday morning and the last one to leave after your class presentation. Break something? Dad can fix it. Upset? Dad can make you laugh. Fail or fall? Dad brushes you off and you try again. Dads are our biggest cheerleaders from sports and school to something as simple as getting our first paycheck.

Fathers teach us how to handle what life throws at us with tough skin, confidence and bravery. They show us every possible way to solve a problem and are with us every step of the way no matter how tall each step may be. They are constant teachers, supporters, advisors, confiders and everything in between.

My dad taught me how to ride a bike, how to mow the lawn in a perfect pattern and how to parallel park a car that has the turn radius of a cruise ship. He helped me with my math homework in elementary, middle, high school…and college. He spent hours practicing sports with me, no matter how frustrating those hours could be. He rarely raises his voice, no matter how much I do, and always tries to bring me back to reality when I'm upset. He's the first person I want to share a funny video with and the only person I know who will watch National Treasure with me EVERY single time it is on.

More importantly, my father taught me that since I can do anything a man can do, I may as well try and do it better. He taught me to never give up on something I am passionate about because I would regret it if I did. He taught me that humor can get you through almost any situation. He showed me how a man SHOULD treat a woman, and continues to show me by how much he loves my mother every day.

Fathers are blessings we should never take for granted and I will be forever grateful for everything he has done and continues to do for our family and I every single day. Although we had to let go of Dad's hand when we got older, we know that with every year that passes he will always have our backs.