He is your first love, best friend, closest confidant, partner in crime and someone who will be there for you no matter what.
Daddy,
First off I want to say thank you. Thank you for our car rides where we gossip, laugh, cry, yell, and have so much fun. Talking to you is so easy, and I can honestly say that no one has a better dad than me. You are the best of the best, cream of the crop, pick of the litter, crème de la crème. You have made me the strong person I am today.
You have taught me so much both intentionally and unintentionally. You have taught me how to check the oil and fluids in my car and tire pressure. You’ve shown me how to use the snowblower and to always measure twice and cut once. You have taught me how to shoot and have been such an amazing coach through many archery competitions, and yes, I do get a little testy when I am at tournaments, but you always keep a calm attitude and help me cool down (both mentally and physically, especially in Alabama). When people say that they are impressed with my shooting, it is all thanks to you. You’ve shown me not just how to shoot but also how to stay calm under pressure and more importantly how to breathe.
You are always (and I mean always) there for me when I need you. From the 2am phone calls where I’m hysterically crying over a paper that I waited until the last minute to do, and I contemplate on just dropping out, to the outfit help when I don’t know what shoes look best. You are brutally honest, which sometimes hurts but in the long run it is helpful and has helped me make some of the most important decisions in my life.
Thank you for always going to my doctor’s appointments with me. Lord knows I have more appointments than an 80-year-old so this is no small task. I know I am old enough to go by myself but having you with me means more than you will ever know. You are my support, my anchor that keeps me grounded but also the balloon that lifts me up when I am down.
Last week, I did not see you for over a week, and it sucked. You are one of my best friends and it is no fun when you go away for so long. Whether it be for vacation, work or hunting trips, it still is rough whenever you leave. But, I am so happy I had the opportunity to travel to North Carolina with you this past weekend. I always love traveling with you. You are such a fun, big teddy bear and we always have a blast. Whether we are driving to Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania or even just upstate, we always manage to have one heck of a time. Yes, I do fall asleep quite often in the car, but I always stay awake when you need my super navigation skills!
Thank you (and mom) for letting me join you on the many wonderful vacations we have been on together. From the Canary Islands and Morocco to trying all the prosciutto and melon all over Italy we have made memories that will last a lifetime, and no matter how much I thank you for letting me tag along, it will never be enough. Some people never travel outside the country, but I have been lucky enough to have traveled all over with my wonderful best friends.
We may have our off days where we both are running low on sleep, both haven’t eaten, or just plain cranky, but no matter what I know that if I need you, you will drop everything to come to my rescue.
My friends always say I have such a great, fun, loving, supportive father who I just blend with so well and usually I just laugh it off and say, “Yeah, he’s okay I guess,” but don’t be mistaken. Everything I am today is because of you. You keep me sane in this crazy world. You are one of my best friends, my hero and most importantly, my father.