Happy Father’s Day, Pops!

Thank you for….

• Attempting to style my reckless hair every morning on both of our cross country road trips and listening to the “Silly Songs” tape on repeat for 3,000 miles each way
• Not turning to cannibalism and eating me when we got stranded in a blizzard on the Donner Pass –named after a group of emigrants who got stuck on that mountain in a blizzard in the 1800’s and started eating each other to stay alive
• Working so hard to make sure your family is provided for
• Calling me every week to say hello and catch up
• Letting me make mistakes; making sure I knew how much you still loved me and forgave me after I realized how stupid I was
• Coining my nickname “cookie monster”
• Letting us get a puppy (Chester) when we wanted one 13 years ago even though you really didn’t want one at the time
• Letting us get ducks on Easter one year
• Making up the results of my science fair project when I stopped tracking my data halfway through the experiment and didn’t mention it to anyone until it was almost due
• Sitting with me for hours, literally hours, to try and explain my math homework to me
• Taking my sisters and I to the movie theater and saying “get anything you want!” at the concession stand
• Making me compulsive about filing important documents and keeping phone conversation logs when speaking to customer service departments
• Teaching me how to jump a car and change a flat. Could I do it tomorrow if either situation presented itself? No. But you DID teach me at one point!
• Rubbing my back to put me to sleep, still!
• Teaching my sisters and I the value of hard work and instilling a strong work ethic in each of us
• Giving my high school boyfriends the SARS talk, and not killing the ones that I’m sure you hated
• Allowing our relationship to evolve as I became an adult
• Asking me for advice, and actually using it
• Your cheesy jokes and Absent Minded Professor qualities. I know where I get it from
• Coaching my middle school softball team, there is no way you had time for that but never missed a game
• Making me wear a fanny pack and tights when playing soccer as a kid. Wait no, I’m not thankful for that– how could you!?
• Your faith. Your love for God amazes me and makes me want to be a better person
• Doing my FAFSA and taxes for so many years in a row. I can finally do them on my own now 😀 
• Encouraging me to see a therapist when I was struggling
• Letting me vent to you and never making me feel judged or silly
• Teaching me the importance of mint chocolate chip ice cream and white chocolate mousse
• Teaching me all the words to your songs from Navy boot camp
• Being the kind of dad that drives 20 minutes in traffic to go buy nail polish and food for his daughters while they are getting ready for a wedding in Los Angeles
• proofreading hundreds of essays and research papers for me
• Always keeping your promises
• Allowing me to understand the true meaning of the world unconditional

Most of all, thank you for being the father that every child dreams of having! I don’t know what I did to deserve you but you have enriched my life beyond belief. I love you!

Philippians 1:3- I thank my God every time I remember you