My father taught me so many things.  I am grateful for him.  He taught me what a man should do, not only for his family but also for the woman he loves.  I used to be scared of thunder and lightning when I was little especially at night time.  I would get up and stand at the top of the stairs and call for my dad until he came upstairs.  He would always come with a blanket and a pillow.  He would lay on the floor until I fell asleep.  If he tried to leave before I was asleep then I would sit up and stare at him until he laid back down.  I was scared to have him leave me alone when I was scared. My father gave me his presence and not just presents.  My father has been woken up countless times at night to come kill a bug that was in my room.  He never told me to just go back to sleep.  He knew that I would not be able to go back to sleep unless the bug was out of my room.  My father even drove 20 minutes to my house to kill a spider that was in my house.  I knew that when he said it was a big spider that it was really big then.   Sometimes my father would inconvenience himself for his family.  I knew he didn’t want to get out of bed to drive to my house but he did it.  I remember when I was growing up, my dad would leave post it love notes to my mother on the refrigerator.  Yes I would read them.  He gave me financial advice that I still follow to this day.  I’ve talked to a lot of people who didn’t have anyone to give them financial advice.  He taught me how to balance a checkbook.  I am so grateful to have my father in my life.  I still go to him when I have some problems.  I know I don’t tell him as often as he would like but I love my father.