I'm Hearing Wedding Bells

For those who don't know, Laurie and I have set our wedding date for September 25, 2009. We have not sent out invitations yet, but we're getting to it! We decided to get a jump on it due to Brent being able to be state-side for the month of September. If we decided to wait, we'd have to wait about 15 more months.

I can honestly say I never knew what kind of work went into planning something like this. For crying out loud, Laurie had me ATTEMPTING to make [what I believe to be] bows for the church pews. I've also been put in charge of coming up with a music list for the reception. Anyhow, kudos to all you who have gone through this a time or two..... I'm not quite sure how you kept your heads. Anyhow, I'll keep everyone posted. We sure hope everyone can make it, but we do realize how quickly we've popped this news to family, so we can understand if you can't be there! I'm *guessing* we'll have the invitations mailed out within the month, but we shall see. It is going to be a fairly small, informal, fun gathering, so I don't want people to expect too terribly much!

On that note, I think we're going to go into the wedding photography business..... I mean, 2 weddings every 6 months and I'd be sitting at about twice the $$ I make now! I don't think it would be as much fun, though.

Update!

0500 hrs: Up for PT
0700 hrs: Chow!
0800 hrs: Class
0900 hrs: Class
1000 hrs: Class
1100 hrs: Class
.....you get the picture


Hello all my followers!

I guess apologies are in order in regards to my lengthy absence, so..... I SORRY! It's been a busy last few months for me.

For the past 2 and 1/2 months, I have been in Pierre, South Dakota at the Law Enforcement Training Center going through basic training (SD LE Standards, academy, etc...). I have 3 weeks remaining until graduation and I'm certainly looking forward to it. I started out thinking July 10th (graduation) would never come, but alas, it is approaching rapidly.

In 9 weeks, I have learned more information from awesome sources provided to me at basic than I thought I ever would. I am very thankful I was able to work the street for 9 months before going to the academy as I think my experiences truly helped me in many training situations. There have certainly been days where I wanted to scream because I wanted OUT of Pierre and to be back with my fiancee and doing police work... I found out that I wasn't the only one going through that very frustration.

This weekend, I was lucky enough to get home and spend a few days with my fiancee. Her parents came up from SW Minnesota for Father's Day. We went to "Arts in the Park" today.... I have to say, the highlight of that little outing was the Indian Tacos we had, for I'm not too big on the crafts scene. I grilled chicken and garlic bread for everyone for supper tonight and from the sounds of it, it was a hit. One more night and half a day, and it's back to Pierre.

I definitely apologize to everyone out there who looks (or used to look!) at my blog. I plan to get this back up and running as soon as I get readjusted to the streets again. Make sure to check back if you get the chance! Again, thanks for viewing and for all those who kept me in their prayers while I've been in Academy.

-Aaron

Dear President Bush

Dear President,

Thank you.

Thank you for keeping our country safe from the evil which presents itself to our world every day.

Thank you for protecting those who are too ignorant to know the dangers which lay waiting outside our borders that our servicemen have to see face-to-face on a daily basis.

Thank you for your sacrifices while in the White House.

There have been many times when I have strongly disagreed with you and your decisions, but overall, I believe you were a good President. Many people will say you were a bad President. Those people know not what it is like to BE the President in a time like this and I know you understand that. To me, you were the most real man to sit in office since I've been involved in politics. I do not remember Former President Reagan too well, but if I did, I would say you were right up there with him in terms of being a real person.

You were scoffed at by the media outlets in this world... and yet you always took the high road and stuck to your guns. That earned you my respect.

To you and the Former First Lady, enjoy your retirement and God's speed to you and your family. You earned it.

Inauguration Day: Some Thoughts

I have to say that it was truly a historic day today. The Inauguration of our nation's first Black American. I wish him good luck and God's Speed.

On the other side of this, I really have to say a few things...

I have a very hard time getting behind Barack. I believe he is a very inexperienced individual who has been lifted on high by the media and the Liberal Elite. To me, that isn't a President, that's a celebrity in the most classical sense, a rock star if you will.

I fully understand why he was elected into office, though. It was because people were so sick of the job President Bush was doing. Well, I have to think about how they came to that conclusion... did they come to the conclusion that Bush was doing a poor job because of their own opinions or was it because they watched/read the same media source they always do? Was it because the media made them believe that Former President Bush should be hated? I honestly do not know.

I do know this, however.... People today have become so apathetic to what is going on around them. People today have become so infatuated with material items and the "fast-food" culture we live in where everything and anything is at our fingertips and we have to do minimal work to educate ourselves.

Most of the American population could not even name the Secretary of State if you asked them. These same people are VOTING, and when the media builds a man up as they did Obama, these same people will buy into the hype. Why is this? Where did we go wrong? Is it because no one cares? I don't think so. I think it's because we have become a lazy, greedy society, and I fear those same negative qualities will cause an end to this great country. I truly wish I would have been born earlier. Oh, to see my grandparents' and great-grandparents' generations.

I cannot say I'm ashamed to be alive during this time in our nation's history, though, for I am very proud of what we still stand for. I am very proud 50 million people did not vote for Obama, but I am also very proud that we elected a Black man (you may notice I'm not saying "African American" as so many of the politically correct sheep in this country insist on saying. You're either an African or you're an American. I'm not a German/English American am I? No..... okay, I'm done). I'm very proud our military is deployed around the world seeking to instill freedom to those who have never been granted it.

To those who voted for Barack Obama and felt "warm fuzzies" today during the Inauguration, I must ask you (and you must answer these questions without using the word "Change" or "Hope" because honestly, you have no idea what those words mean and you are simply relying on sensationalism instead of logic and reason):

1) What does President Obama stand for?
2) What are his past accomplishments?
3) What American values will he fight to preserve?
4) What qualities do you see which makes him a leader?

You see, I cannot come up with any valid answers for these questions which would make me believe he is qualified to lead this country. Yes, he's in office, it's a done deal.... but these are the questions which must be legitimately answered for me in order for him to earn my support. I have always and will always respect the Office of the President, that goes without saying, but I certainly wish the man IN the office would earn the respect of those who aren't sure of him.

Now, if you're still reading, and you don't agree with what I've written, that's perfectly fine.... if you can honestly and legitmately argue with me, even better. However, today, I fear that because of what I've written, I'll be labeled as a gun-toting, beer-drinking hillbilly neanderthal...... because that's what the main-stream media will have you believe about any of those who aren't pleased with Obama being President.

I want to fight to keep American values alive. I want our Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry themselves to come back from the dead, take a look around, and be proud of the country they founded. Unfortunately, we are under constant attack by those within our own borders who want to see this country as anything BUT what we were founded on.

We will see in the next 100 days who Barack Obama is. He will be tested, there is no questioning that. We will see what kind of leader he is and whether or not he stands up to our enemies (enemies who wanted to see him win the Presidency, don't forget). We will see....

In conclusion, I full-heartedly extend a welcome and a good luck to President Obama. He will have a tough time ahead of him which will be [unfairly and unjustly] constantly blamed on Former President Bush. God's Speed to you, Obama, for you will need His help for all the work you must do.

Deputy Norris... Not Forgotten

Deputy Norris was one of many recruits shown on the recent TV show titled "Rookies" on A&E. The show gives the public an inside look into the type of training officers receive once they get hired and placed on patrol.

After just 4 weeks of getting "cut loose" (successfully completing the FTO program and going solo), Deputy Norris was dispatched to a domestic violence incident involving a gun. Deputy Norris was the first officer to arrive on-scene, where he was confronted by gunfire. A bullet struck him under his arm, where his vest did not protect him. One of his training officers was one of the officers who backed him up on this call and found Norris lying motionless on the ground when he arrived. He was transported to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

This is a very tragic story. If you watch the actual episodes of Deputy Norris's training, you can tell how happy of a kid he was and how grateful he was for being given the opportunity to serve his community.

Above is a video I watch frequently that really shows how human he is, as well as all cops in general. Please take a moment to watch the video in honor of Deputy Norris.

RIP Deputy Norris. You will never be forgotten.

Cop for a Day

This is an entertaining video I came across on YouTube some time ago. After watching it, I realized it's not only entertaining, but pretty much parallels what we do! It's a good video for the public to watch (if they're interested, of course)!

This was put out by the Baltimore Police Department sometime around 1997 as a recruiting tool. It's only a minute long, so check it out!



So what do you think? Wanna be a cop for a day? Oh, c'mon.... you have your vest, right? I've seen similar videos like this on the web about Marines and firefighters, etc, too that were very well-done.

I actually got to go back to the "east coast" to Pennsylvania to see my family for Christmas this year. I took Laurie with me and introduced her to the family. She seemed to enjoy meeting everyone and didn't think anyone was crazy, so that's a good thing. ha.

We were lucky enough to be able to spend half of the time up at my parent's place in Liverpool, PA, and the rest of the time in 'E-town' with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I was really happy to see everyone... it's kind of hard being so far away from family, so these trips are important.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Christmas and New Years. It's back to work for me.... and to a job which I actually look forward to going back to after a vacation. Imagine that!

Until later, be good.