We will be spending this weekend with Zac. It’s been a while since I’ve provided an update on my son Zac. He is completing Junior High School this year. Zac is hoping to get into a regional Agricultural High School. He is very interested in troubleshooting and fixing machines. He also has a love and respect for animals and the environment which makes this school a good fit for his interests while also providing a solid pre-college education. I cannot say enough about how lucky I am to have such a passionate and respectful son.

He is very unusual in his willingness to stand against anyone with his true beliefs and values. I know that Zac is a typical teen when he is around others in his social circle, but I have had very few interactions with him where I was disappointed. I have been very blessed to wake up each day and think and ponder about my boy and what a positive impact he is on the world around him. Although I worry about how his peers may try to sway him in the wrong direction, I am confident that he will stay true to what is right and just. What father could ask for more?

I have been spending this last week visiting with my son Zac. It has been great spending so much one on one time with him. He is such a wonderful kid and I am blessed to have him in my life. Last night we met up with some friends for ice cream and on the way home got into a heated discussion about guns. Zac is very knowledgeable and interested in guns. This comes from his uncles who are hunters, in the service, etc. He has had this interest for some time, but I recently noticed it is a very common topic of discussion for him. “Dad did you know that the glock 27 has a field range of Y,” is what I hear - and I just cringe inside. We had a discussion about the gun industry and what I feel are not effective methods for making sure guns don’t get into the wrong hands. I explained to Zac that if he spent one night in Newark, NJ - he might have a different perspective.

It is frustrating for me that he has the level of interest with guns - and yet I am cautious to allow him to have his own interests. At least he is learning about them appropriately and not just sneaking off and learning from friends at school or something like that. I can only hope that this will pass like other phases.

It was an amazing weekend. Debbie, Alex (friend from Costa Rica), Michael and I drove up to New Hampshire to celebrate Zac’s 14th birthday party with him. I saw most of the family (missed my father who left early). We took Zac out for dinner on Saturday night and went hiking on Sunday morning. We stayed at a lovely little bed and breakfast with plenty of opportunities for photos.

The big news on the Zac front is that he is moving back to Massachusetts. I am quite pleased with that as it will put him about 3 hours closer to Michael and I. It will also mean we will be closer to my family and friends when we are visiting with him on weekends. Unfortunately for him, it means leaving his first girlfriend behind. We got to meet her on Saturday and she is a very sweet girl.

On the way home we stopped by a clam shack in Connecticut and took the ferry back to the island. The ride showcased one of the most amazing sunsets I have seen in quite some time. I was able to get quite a few shots.