Here 10 of the things I love most about my amazing dad:
10) He's absolutely hilarious. Not going to lie, I used to get embarrassed by his jokes when I was a bratty teenager, but now that I am older (and hopefully wiser), I have come to appreciate his awesome sense of humor. My friends all think he is hilarious and he tends to be the life of the party wherever he goes.
9) He has a ton of interests. My dad loves to run, go to the gym, ride his motorcyle, play guitar, and of course, spend time with me and my mom. On top of working, he makes time to do what he loves, and you can tell how passionate of a person he is by how many hobbies he has and how many things he is good at.
8) He gives amazing advice. You name it, and he can help you figure out the situation. My dad has a way of calming me down during stressful situations, reminding me of what's important in life, and giving me his honest opinion, and I can't thank him enough for all of the times he has helped me through life's stressful moments. He is always the first person I call when I really need help figuring out a tough situation.
7. He's incredibly supportive. My dad's opinion means so much to me, and when I initially told him about Teach for America I could tell he was skeptical about me moving to a new city, less than 6 months after moving to Arlington. But once he saw how passionate I was about Teach for America, he backed me up 100%. My dad has supported me through so much in life--school, sports, friends, my internships, and now my current job. I couldn't have accepted this job offer if it wasn't for his blessing, and I'm so thankful to have his constant support.
6. He has the most contagious laugh in the world. His "this is the funniest thing I've ever seen" laugh is rare, and only comes out during really funny television shows or when he's telling stories about his childhood, but when it does, it is literally contagious. I actually have videos of it on my I-phone and watch it sometimes to get a good laugh or put me in a good mood.
5. He's an incredibly hard worker. He is dedicated to everything that he does, and never gives less than 110% on everything. It seems like he hasn't stopped working since he was 16, but it's probably because he's so good at everything he does. From working construction with my grandpa, to being a police officer, to being a polygraph examiner, to NCIS Special Agent in Charge, to a realtor for Coldwell Banker, my dad has excelled at each and every one of his jobs (I'm sure I'm leaving out quite a few), and he has taught me how much hard work really does pay off.
4. Family is so important to him. My dad is always telling me stories about his siblings, his mom, and his dad, and it is obvious how much he cares about all of them. I really admire how close my dad and his dad were, and I can see so many of the amazing traits that my grandpa had in my dad himself. A day never goes by where my dad doesn't tell my mom and I how much he loves us, and he always makes me feel so special every time I am around him. I know he would do anything for me, my mom, and his family.
3. He loves my friends. I really appreciate that my dad really gets to know all of my friends, and pretty much every single one of my friends who has met my dad thinks he is the funniest and coolest dad to walk the planet. When one of my best friends lost her dad to cancer a couple of years ago, he went above and beyond his duty as "Sarah's dad" and really showed her how much he was thinking of her and supporting her. Knowing that my dad cares as much about my friends as I do means the world to me.
2. He is an amazing care taker. My dad is constantly making sure that my mom and I are healthy, have everything we need, and are happy. Even when I don't ask for help, he knows when I need it, and he always steps in and and goes above his role as a father when I need him the most.
1. He is me...as an adult...and a man. In other words, I am literally my father's daughter. From our intense personalities, to our appreciation of humor and sarcasm, and to our values, I am so proud to say that I see so much of my dad in me. And, let's be real, we look at lot a like. Except I failed to get any of his Portuguese coloring and he kind of left me hanging on the athletic ability genes...
I love you so much dad! Thank you for being the most supportive, amazing, caring father in the entire world...I don't know what I would do without you! I am so lucky to have you in my life and I hope I make you as proud as you make me every day :)
