For all the times you read “Cinderella” to me at  night, even though I knew every single word by heart and could quote it to you when you tried to change what it said.

For that very first sip of cappuccino when I was eight years old (the beginning of a lifelong love of coffee, I’m sure), for the way you started the morning with coffee and God’s Word and taught me to do the same, for the way you ask, “Did anyone brew coffee?” after dinner, and we all know that’s code for, “Want to come and sit and talk for awhile?”

For making the decision to get us up at 6am, even when we were young kids, because you wanted to take leadership in our home schooling. For the way that you love to learn— so passionately— and for sharing that love with your kids. For loving Pride & Prejudice because I did, for sharing your love of classical music and your memories of your mom’s love of opera, for getting starry-eyed when talking about your dream trip to Europe.

For homemade hollandaise sauce on brussel sprouts, for homemade crêpes on my 16th birthday, for sausage gravy to go with my favorite biscuits, for always making the perfect omelet… for being both a chef and a foodie, and teaching me to love food, too.

For the hundreds of times that you led us through Psalms and Proverbs. For that time, when I was eighteen, that you told me to go read Ephesians 1 and stop worrying about attempted perfect, because Christ was perfect for me. For praying so faithfully for me over the years, even now, when I’m not at home anymore.

For loving Mom more than you love us kids. For making the really hard, really uncomfortable choices to guard your marriage better. For turning down new job opportunities because they would take you away from your family, for working for years at a job that you don’t really like so you can provide for your family, for caring more about your kids’ hearts than you care about your own success or reputation. For loving marriage, and loving love, and instilling that same love in me.

For always envisioning success for me, even when your awesome, optimistic ideas overwhelmed the heck out of me. For seeing my potential and pushing me to achieve it, especially in those times when I couldn’t (or didn’t want to) see it myself. For your undying entrepreneurial spirit that gave me the guts to “try it, and we’ll see.”

For showing me what it looks like to love the Gospel, and for teaching me to love it, too. For always speaking truth to me, and teaching me to speak it to myself (and telling me to “stop it” a fair number of times, too). For teaching me that the Bible really is God’s Word, and that it’s trustworthy, dependable, and fully sufficient any issue I may face.

For the way you went from Dad to best friend.

Thank you.

You’re the best Dad in the world, and I’m beyond-words-blesesd to be your daughter. Happy Father’s Day.