I don’t know where I would be without your hand guiding me in the right direction and pushing me to be my best at everything I attempt to take on. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for teaching me to not let anyone tell me who I am and making sure that I am okay when I have a rough day or when I get into trouble and feel as though it is the end of the world. Thank you for staying by my side through my pre-teen years when I constantly tried to push you away, because today I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through those times without you there.

We don’t get along all the time, but that doesn’t mean that I have ever loved you less and I know that you feel the same way. You remind me daily that you will always be there for me and love me even when I don’t love myself or lose sight of my end goal. You are the one that taught me to be a leader, and the one that pushed me to be the best I can be and it has gotten me so far even in my mere seventeen years and I cannot wait to see where it takes me in the future. Also, thank you for making me fall in love with the outdoors and kindling my love for adventure. Taking me to Cedar Point as soon as I was tall enough to ride all the rides was probably one of the best decisions that you have ever made because it fueled my love for thrill. Thank you for taking me out on the lake to sail and mess around with boats because the water is still one of my favorite places to be. I am so grateful for the fact that you gave me so many opportunities and that they have shaped me into the person I am today.

I know when I was younger I was planning on going to Ferris State University to study Marketing just like you, and although my plans have changed, I still know that you are behind me 100% because you want me to succeed. Also, I could never repay you for the thirteen years that you cheered me on as I danced up on stage, and yes I was embarrassed when you would give me a big hug after I finished, but I will forever be grateful that you were at every competition.

Thank you for everything that you have done for me and everything that you continue to do. I know that I am a hard person to be around some of the time, but thank you for always being by my side. Yes, we have our differences but at the end of the day, I will always know that you love me with all your heart and you know that I do the same.

Thank you, Dad.