In sickness and in health...

In what seemed like a blink of an eye another year has come and gone. I have to say Rebecca is the one who seems to be stuck keeping the promise of loving me during sickness most of the time! The past several weeks have been one full of trials but she has cared for and pampered me every step of the way. I am feeling a little guilty that I wasn't able to make today extra special but I did manage to get out of the house for a little while today for some fun and a nice dinner.

I would have never imagined that we would eventually get married the moment this picture was taken the day we graduated from high school. Boy did our plans for life change after that night!

 

I can still remember what you wore on our first date and thank God every day that you finally gave me a chance to win your heart. I love each and every moment we have together and hope you know that even after all these years I am still enamoured with everything about you. I am proud to proclaim to the world that you are my wife and I am blessed to declare that you are the mother of my children. I can't imagine going through a single day without you in my life. You have spoiled me by making me the richest man in the world because I have your love all to myself. Thank you Rebecca for loving me and for saying "I do" 18 years ago. 

I look forward to the next 18 years and pray that in health outweighs the in sickness! Thank you for being one of the strongest cornerstones in the foundation of our family - I couldn't do it without you! I love you as much today as I did yesterday and will continue to love you tomorrow and the next day until our lives both end. Happy Anniversary My Love. XOXOXO

Don't try to make children grow up to be like you, or they may do it!

Of course as my mother will attest, I was a perfect child so I know my kids will turn out just fine! The scary part is that my children are growing up and there is nothing that I can do to stop it. It seems like only yesterday that I was rushing Rebecca to the hospital for a night of long labor which would result in us being blessed with the most amazing little girl I could ever have hoped for. Yet here I sit 15 years later reflecting on all the memories we have already made together in a rather short period of time.

Ariel ,you are my one and only daughter and are more than I could have ever hoped for. Being my first born I can honestly say we have learned (a lot) together over the past 15 years. I have watched you grow from my cute little girl into a beautiful woman.

With that said be sure not to leave your youth behind too soon. Enjoy this time in your life and remember that you have a family that loves and cares about you. Resist the push from society for you to rush into adulthood, these are the years that you will hone your skills and master responsibilities but that doesn't mean that you can't have fun and enjoy your teenage years while doing so! I pray that no matter what you encounter in life during the next several years that you know you can lean on me and your mother - while it may be hard to believe it wasn't that long ago we were your age and understand life's challenges! I will continue to pray for you every day and while we may not always see eye-to-eye I hope you know I will always have your best interests in mind. I love you and am very grateful that we share so many likes and interests and the memories of your first trout, your first deer and everything in between bring a smile to my face more often than you could ever imagine. While you may be growing up I hope you know that you will always be my little girl!
Happy Birthday
XOXOXOXOX
Daddy

 Never too old to be silly!

 15 Candles! 

Fun in the sun with Lexi and Alex

Steak and Chicken and Shrimp - Oh My!

Grammy's homemade Ice Cream Cake - Yummy!

A Fathers Dream Come True

I grew up with a father who loved to spend time with with his kids. While my brother and sister grew up enjoying some of our fathers hobbies and outdoor activities I cherished every moment spend in the woods learning the in's and out's of hunting with him which is one of the reasons I love to hunt to this day. On March  7, 2010 Ariel began her own journey of becoming an accomplished hunter and I posted here that she was "The Apple of My Eye"

Fast forward to today and I have the pleasure to tell you that one of my greatest dreams has come true. Today my son Alex completed his Connecticut Conservation Education and Firearms Safety Program. He spent two days in a classroom interacting with 5 separate instructors learning about firearm safety, ethics, local game species, hunting, trapping and much, much more. I was proud to sit at the back of the room watching him ask questions, be the first to raise his hand to answer questions directed to the class and the thing that made me happiest was when he was called upon to demonstrate safe gun handling and knew before being told by the instructors how to properly handle the weapon which resulted in him being the demonstrator at the front of the class for the remainder of the lesson.

At the end of the class today he took his final exam which he passed with a great score then moved out to the shooting range. While the range part was more to show good safety practices he also out shot most of the class which was made up of adults with the exception of Alex and one teenager. Needless to say, much like the day Ariel completed her class I have been walking on cloud nine!

Alex's main request has been to learn how to turkey hunt, something which I have been successful at in the past but by no means am an expert on teaching. I decided that while I would like to get him a shotgun of his own for turkey hunting much like Ariel I wanted him to have a rifle that one day he could call his own. I was blessed to have a family rifle passed down to me by Rebecca's Grandfather so in keeping with tradition I decided that I would pass down the Winchester .30-30 that I got from my father many years ago. It has been a good gun and I have taken many deer with it over the past 20 years and I look forward to watching him take many more with it too!

Over the years I have enjoyed the time spent in the woods, not only the thrill of a hunt but also the peaceful times observing God's amazing creation. While the time I had to spend with my dad in the woods was cut short I now have the joy of spending time with my own children in the woods teaching them all the knowledge I have learned over the years and continue to learn each and every time I go out. The is no doubt that I have been blessed in life and knowing that a cherished tradition is being passed on to another generation is a beautiful reminder. 

I love both my children and look forward to spending time with each of them one on one and together as a group at the range practicing with our firearms, in the woods observing nature, harvesting game for our food and every moment in-between! 

Congratulations Alex on a job well done. I love you and your sister very much and I am very proud of you both. 

As you can all imagine I can't wait for hunting season to open later this year!

The Mighty Mothers In My Life

Today all over the country people celebrated their mothers and the women who we all hold dear to our hearts. I am lucky in that I have many people who I was able to celebrate which included my Mother, my Wife, my Mother-in-Law and Rebecca's Grandmother. There are other women that I hold dear to my heart as adopted mothers from my childhood and recognize the fact that I was cared for and watched over by so many people helped me become the person I am today.

First there is my Mother. The fact that she gave birth to me is more than enough to celebrate her! She didn't stop at birth though, she gave me an amazing childhood full of love and countless memories. I watched her go through good times and bad while maintaining her focus on her family rather than herself. Thank you Mom for showing me love and encouraging me to be a Godly Man, husband and Father! I am blessed to be your son and have you as my Mother.

Next is Mom Rathbun. She may not have given birth to me but she has taken me into her family and accepted me not just as her daughter's husband but as her son. You too have encouraged me to be a Godly man and I am proud to be part of your family. While legally you are my Mother-In-Law I will never think of you like that - I am blessed to call you Mom.

Third is Nina. I am grateful that you are part of our lives. I am thankful that I am part of your family and that my children have a relationship with their Great Grandmother and we are able to celebrate all of our special occasions together with you. 

Last but most important to me is Rebecca. You are not only my wife but you are the mother of our children. I truly feel like the luckiest man on earth because you are part of my life every moment of every day! You have stood by me through thick and thin, you have encouraged me with all my endeavours. You have picked me up when I am feeling down, you have prayed for me when it would have been easier to run away. You are a pillar to me and the kids. I can't imagine going through life without you nor would I ever want to! Thank you for growing with me and loving me. You are an amazing encouragement to me and the kids both spiritually and in daily life. I look forward to celebrating many more years with you and reflecting on how much you influence those around you especially me! Thank you for being an Amazing Wife and Mother! I Love You! 

Happy Mothers Day to You All!

Family Time

The new year has been busy for me, especially the past 2 months. While I have had a moment here and there to blog my daddy taught me;  "If you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Between the people I deal with day in and day out and the lack of appreciation at work I have remained silent while enjoying every precious moment I could with my family! Last week Ariel finished her qualification for the shooting sports award she has been working towards achiving. When she was done we spent the remainder of the day at the range shooting together as a family, despite my initial desire to hoard all the ammunition till  the stores start maintaining their inventories!

Today we went on a field trip with a few of the members from Venture Crew .22 to the Springfield Armory. Alex and I really enjoyed the afternoon walking around the museum learning and admiring all the beautiful firearms on display. 

Memories never fade, tears still fall and Daffodils still remind me of you.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!

www.onetruemedia.com

While many will be celebrating the good deeds of St. Patrick today, I am celebrating the life of another man - my father. The past several weeks I have found my mind swimming with memories of him and the good times we shared together. The man truly had flair - he entered the world on St. Patrick’s Day and departed it on St. Valentine’s Day. I am sad because I miss him and not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. During times like these I find myself fighting my emotions in order to get through the day so I have decided to use this as an outlet. Although I miss my dad, I must acknowledge that I have been blessed with two wonderful men in my life who I respect and love; both Chuck and Roger are there as a father for me. I would like to take this chance to celebrate in memory of his birthday, the life of the man who taught me among many other things how to hunt and fish, how to drive a car, and the importance of making time for family. As I look forward to my meal of Corned beef with potatoes, carrots and cabbage I will have a smile on my face as I remember my Fathers disapproval of my brother and I smothering our cabbage with tomato ketchup. I will reflect on my memories of days spent in the woods hunting, days off from school working with my dad in the big red tractor trailer truck, afternoons spent drowning worms on the banks of a fast moving brook, Sunday driving lessons, listening to the baseball game on the radio while playing in the back yard, digging up wild daffodils and day lily’s on the side of the road for Mom's flower gardens, Sunday lunches together as a family, the memories go on and on. I am thankful to have the memories that I do and to have had the privilege of being my father’s son. Remember the reality is we are only here for a season and it is up to us to determine how we spend that season. He may not be with us in the flesh but he is here in my heart and in my memories so for no other reason other than that of good memories… I miss you and love you, Happy Birthday Dad.

The tribute tattoo for my Dad that I got last year even though he would have kicked my butt for getting it!

As a young man his journey begins...

It seems like only yesterday that I was laying in bed watching Rebecca sleeping and counting the seconds between her contractions that she didn't even realize she was having. I can hardly believe that 12 years have passed already and that my baby boy has entered into the next chapter of his life as a young man.

As do all parents, I remember the days my children were born with much detail. I have been truly blessed with both my kids and while they know they are loved each and every day of the year it is on their birthdays that I take the time to let the whole world know how proud I am of them. Today happens to be that day for a young man named Alexander Aquilino Wearne. His name was chosen long before he ever existed but I never could have imagined the boy he is now. I am proud of my son and look forward to watching him grow into a man and starting a family of his own some day. I pray for him every day that he will follow the straight and narrow path while nourishing his own relationship with God. I hope that I am always the best dad in the world through his eyes and that he learns from my mistakes so he doesn't have to repeat them. I love you Alexander - Happy 12th Birthday!

Twelve years have flown by since that picture was taken and Alex has grown strong and tall and along with that he requires more nourishment then he has in years past. As we always do the Birthday Boy (or Girl) gets to choose their birthday meal and Alex requested his favorite "Man Meal" for our family celebration. I specify family celebration because his actual party is Sunday and he chose his other favorite meal for that one which I will post next week. As for tonight's meal it was a meal fit for a king.

Beef Loin grilled medium rare with homemade mashed potatoes and steamed sugar snap peas! And for dinner was his birthday cake and much like his father Alex has a great love of cheesecake which his darling mother whipped up at  moments notice.

It's a good thing that Alex has been playing SkyRim because he almost needed to use a Dragonborn shout to blow out all those candles in one breath!

Of course before the cake I let him open the gifts from me and Rebecca because I was almost as excited to watch him open as he was to get them. The first gift was a set of BrickArms  which as you can see are accessories for his Lego collection.

Then came a 4 pack of magazines for his Crosman M4-177  that he received this past year for Christmas

 What good is a magazine if there is no ammo to put in it? Squirrels beware this is the real deal!

Now that he is fully outfitted for some plinking he opened the next package which will not only provide hours of entertainment it will hone his skill as a marksmen. Plus I can't wait to throw some lead at it too, as they say practice makes perfect!

This last gift was the biggest surprise because he never expected to get one despite looking at them while debating if it was worth spending his own hard earned money on.

If your unable to read the box it's a Red Dot sight for his gun. Below are some pictures of it once we mounted it.

Please notice that despite me not saying a word my 12 year old son is handling his firearm safer than some adults I have witnessed and I am very, very proud of him!

Of course when we were all done cleaning up we lit up the back yard so we could start sighting in the new scope and it didn't take long before the spinners where whirling!

Aiming for the 10 ring

Everyone knows how lucky that I am to have a family who shares my love of all things shooting sports. Today I felt like the proudest daddy in the world as I watched my daughter Ariel working on her qualifications for the Venturing shooting sports award.  She was attentive to the instructions, handled each weapon safely and showed her determination to eventually become an expert marksman or should I say woman. She fired a multitude of different weapons ranging from handguns, long rifles and the oh so popular in the news AR style rifle. When she was done we spent some time shooting the M&P that I got for Christmas along with her Marlin XT that she received as a Christmas present as well. Her safety and skill caught the attention of another group at the range and they invited her to punch some paper with their AR's as well. It was a great morning spent together honing our shooting skills and just hanging out as a father and daughter. It ended up being about 20 degrees colder than originally predicted so her hand warmers that Aunt Jackie made her for Christmas came in very handy as you can see in the pictures!