Thank you for everything, Dad.

Daddio. Dad. Pops. Boss. Big Time. Whatever the title may be, thank you. Thank you for every moment, laughter, lesson, hug, small stuff, big stuff, and everything in between. God knew what He was doing when He handpicked my dad to be my dad. He knew I needed Simon Laham as my daddio in order to become who I am.

We will always need our dads. Doesn't matter how old we get or how successful we are, girls need our dads. To share the good, the bad, to get their opinion or advice, and to walk us down the aisle. For the big stuff like, showing us how to stand up for ourselves and toughen us for the world ahead. And for the little stuff like, letting us know if the dudes are overcharging you at the gas station for a routine oil change. We need them at every stage in our lives.

A father is a daughter's first love. That relationship fosters expectations for a young woman especially in her dating world. Dads become our role models of what we hope our husbands will be like. He models what respect and support should look like in a relationship. My dad was empathetic, I hope my future husband is. My dad was family oriented, I hope my future husband is. My dad would fix everything and anything, I hope my future husband can do that. Toilet's not working- dad's got it. Spider in the room - yup, dad's got it. Flat tire - again, dad's got it.

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Thank you for working hard even when you were tired.

Thank you for allowing me to be my imperfect self.

Thank you for being unconditionally supportive to everyone around you.

Thank you for never judging me for my mistakes and failures.

Thank you for teaching me to be a mediator and to guide people when they're faced with challenges.

Thank you for never trying to tame my voice and empowering me to speak up.

Thank you for being my safe haven.

Thank you for showing me how a man should treat the woman he loves.

Thank you for introducing music to my ears and singing ever chance you got.

Thank you for the driving lessons and trusting me with your cars.

Thank you for pushing me to finish my goals and inspiring me to move forward despite loses.

Thank you for introducing sports to me especially the Bruins.

Thank you for being my coach in life; cheering me while I was doing good and correcting me when I wasn’t applying myself.

Thank you for holding my hand when I needed it and knowing when to let it go.

Thank you for hearing me without having heard a word.

Thank you for understanding my heart when I felt so lost.

Thank you for all those big warm hugs when I needed them but didn’t want them.

Thank you for the laughs and all the jokes to make me smile when all I wanted to do was cry.

Thank you for giving me your expensive taste in clothes and cars.

Thank you for always picking up the phone to hear me complain or ask for advice.

Thank you for instilling the love of Church and God in our home.

Thank you for creating an open arms atmosphere in our home so everyone felt welcomed.

Thank you for choosing faith over fear.

Thank you for meeting mom because I couldn't imagine going through this without her.

Thank you for giving me two amazing brothers who do their best to keep me as protected as you did.

Thank you for living selflessly for the entire family.

Thank you for fighting with every ounce of your being even when doctors said to stop.

Thank you for all the beautiful signs and dreams you visit.

Thank you, Dad, for all the little and big moments.

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I find myself constantly adding a new "thank you" to my dad every single day. I wish I got to say thank you for absolutely every little and big thing my dad did for me. With new chapters of life that I enter, I do something or say something and I can't help but internally smile and know that my dad helped foster those actions, responses, and confidence. I wish I could have written a list of "thank you" for my dad while he was still here but I realized it would never be enough for what he has done for me.

Even now with my daddio not physically here anymore, I still need him. I still reach out to him, just differently than before. And he still guides me and gives me advice, just differently than before. Emphasis on "differently". Now he sends me messages in my dreams or through weird "coincidences" after praying the night before. Before my dad passed, I wanted to make sure everything I did was something he could be proud of. Now, I try to live in honor of him; I want to make sure that his memory lives through me.

Sometimes people correct me to change my statements into past tense, "My dad is my protector" to "My dad was my protector" but he still IS my protector. He still IS my motivator in life. Dads never stop being our dads. No matter how old we get or they get. No matter how far we travel and the distance between us - dads and daughters are always connected. Dads are a blessing in their loved ones lives especially their daughters. They share a forever bond that exceeds worlds and dimensions.

Daddio,

I miss you. I love you.

Your best girl, Banuta xo xo