Happy Father's Day, Dad.

To my Dad that I love so very dearly, you are the best. I wish I could see you more. As a child, you always made me feel safe and secure and loved. You taught me how to play baseball and even to "grunt" when I'd hit the ball 'cause then I'd hit it even harder. You taught me how to ride the bicycle, which was scary at first when I turned around and you weren't there, but you gave me the push I needed and then let go hoping I wouldn't run into the house. Maybe you thought about this as you were watching me learn to keep the bike steady on my own, but it really is just like life. You teach your children everything you think they'll need to know. Then, when it's time, you take off the training wheels, give them a push and let them fly. All the while, praying that they won't hurt themselves too badly in the end. Thanks for the push, Dad.

When I fell and broke my arm, you were the first by my side, scooping me up into your arms, as if you somehow knew that it was about to happen. When I was a teenager and boy-crazy, I remember being in the car with you and you pleaded with me to not have a boyfriend so young. You told me to tell all the boys that I already had a boyfriend and that was you. lol It makes me smile now and wish that I had seen the wisdom in your advice. When I'd go to dances, you encouraged me to not be a wallflower, but to get out and dance and enjoy myself whether or not I was asked to dance. I remember when you bought me a cd by Leann Womack. It was her single, "I hope you dance." It meant a lot to me that you cared that much and that song will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember you being disappointed in me at times when I made wrong choices. For some reason, it never hurt that much when Mom was disappointed in me. Probably because she was always the one disciplining. But if I knew you were disappointed, it broke my heart.

Dad, you always crack me up. You don't think you're that funny, but I do. You have a great sense of humor and I love it. One of my favorite memories with you is when you'd tell us stories about you as a child and how you hid in a locker at school to hide from the principal who was walking the hallways looking for children to paddle because they'd been bad. That still cracks me up! And I love to watch you watch funny movies. Whether it's "A Christmas Story" or any of the "Ernest" movies, anything that gets your eyes watering from laughing so hard. I love it. It's one of my favorite things about you, and of course, there are many things I love about you.

Dad, I'm just so glad I am your daughter.