First let me give you a little history. Almost 8 years ago, I asked a beautiful woman to marry me. Lucky for me she said Yes. She came with 2 boys Colten and Conner. While Conner and I have a good relationship, Colten (Smity from now on)and I have become good if not best friends.
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A little history of the past 2 years. As everyone knows the economy is terrible, and the hardest hit seems to be construction. Well I got layed off, but fortunatley my wife has a decent job, so we are ok. I continued to look for work, but to no avail.
Fast forward to last Oct. Smity was about to turn 16. In our house this is a big birthday, you get your drivers license, and in our faith we encourage our young people to wait to date until they are 16. You kind of reach the right of passage as a man. Being with out work for a long time funds were limited. We were able to get him a very nice knife, but my wife and I felt like he deserved more. So at the last minute I gave him my Mohawk longbow for a gift. He was floored and I had never felt better.
So now I had the 2 longbows I had made myself and was content to shoot them. Around the first on the year Smity got a part time job and started earning a little for himself
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Smity's new bow
What a great gift!! Looking forward to the rest of the story!
That's awesome Ryan! Thanks for sharing with us.
Great story! Thanks for sharing Ryan!
Smity...awesome bow buddy. You have a great mentor there...listen to him!
Good on you Ryan. He'll keep that bow for a lifetime because of the depth of meaning involved in that gift.
Fantastic Family,Listen my friend if anythings needed to help you out with equipment for you or your family PM me ! I mean it.
Man I just typed a whole page and it's gone :banghead:
So around the first of the year, Smity comes by and notices me browsing the bow classifieds. He asks questions about bows, he is like that. He loves shooting a bow and is the only one whose taken it up. My son loves to come with me, but is into guns. It's good! Anyway i show him some good deals that were to be had at the time and thought nothing of it.
A few weeks go by and Smity approaches me with that look of a kid whose done something wrong. All us parents know it. Well out of the blue he informs me that he had purchased a Dwyer from Al (longshadow). I was floored and fought back the tears, but the tears won.
We anxiously awaited the bow and when it came I was excited! I opened the tube, and was floored. What an awesome bow. Then I tried to draw it. I knew right away it was too heavy :( I was heartbroken! I have to give a huge shout out to Al. He not only was honest and fair but treated my son with class. I will never forget the generosity shown by him :clapper:
So Smity came up with plan B as we sent the bow back. We looked on the classifieds that night and fate struck us a great hand. There was a Mohawk that i had been looking at a few weeks earlier. Well a deal was made and today the long awaited tube showed up!
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(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_1184.jpg)
My little girl loves to have her pic taken. that's trouble for Daddy!
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Open!!
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A very happy Father!!
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The money shot! I can't express how humbled I am or proud I am to call him my son! He is an awesome kid who deserves more than I can ever give to him. Love ya Buddy!
Now to kill my first elk with this bow this fall :)
Steve that is very nice of you to offer. If neede I will get ahold of you. Thanks.
Great story,Your a very lucky dad.
Great story and sweet bows!
I looked long and hard at that Mohawk when it was for sale.
Rob
Good things happen to good people...you my friend, deserve every bit of the good that happens in your life!
Powerful stuff :notworthy: :notworthy:
That is AWSOME indeed, you are very lucky to have a son like that, and he to have a father like you. Congrats to both.
Tom
Family sticks together, right on :thumbsup:
Awesome story man! A relationship with your children is priceless. Great pics too!
Jason
Outstanding!!!!RC
Excellent stuff Ryan!
It just dont get any better than that!
Hats off to you both!
:clapper:
:thumbsup:
Great stuff Ryan. Good family too. In order to protect them though you aught to put a "Duck" sign over that low door! you may not go bald as quickly. :readit: ;)
You guys will be quite the duo with matching hawks. :thumbsup:
:clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
[QB] Good things happen to good people...you my friend, deserve every bit of the good that happens in your life!
X2 Couldn't have said it any better :bigsmyl: :wavey:
Tracy
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great stuff! Enjoy that bow, she's a beauty!
Eric :thumbsup:
That is AWESOME Ryan. Give Smity a big ol bear hug for me!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
You'all are a lucky bunch, great, isn't it!! :notworthy:
You must be doing something right, buddy! His grin is bigger than yours. He has learned what some people never will.
What an awesome story!!! I was looking at that Mohawk for some time and my wife even offered to buy it for my birthday.... As much as I wanted to take her up on the offer I knew we needed to put that money to other uses. I said to my self "I'm sure someone else "need" that bow.". Looks like I was right! :clapper:
Dang, man, ya got me all misty eyed... :thumbsup:
Awesome story. Sounds like you have a great family.
Thanks for all the great comments guys! Smity is truly one of a kind. He is a great kid and I can't wait to "get him back" things should be turned around by then. Thanks again Gang!! :clapper: Oh and will do Kenny! Gotta give em hugs like that while I'm still bigger :)
Great stuff, Ryan!!! I had been eyeing that Mohawk in the classifieds and was lamenting letting it go...until now! So glad it ended up with you and your family.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper:
That is just flat out cool.
That's really an awesome story. My daughter and only child turned seven today. They grow up way too fast but I hope when she's sixteen our relationship is still that strong.
That is a awesome story and a great kid your raising
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Reading this story chokes me up because I know how special our children and grand children are to us. It is especially touching when they do something 'out of the blue' like what your son did for you. That lets you know they love and care for you.
Great story.....You have a fine family...!
:thumbsup:
That is as good as it gets! Congrats all around!
Ryan, you and Smity are both blessed. Family love is the best. Good son and a great Dad.
WOW, what a story!!! Congrats!!!
:clapper:
You're a lucky man Ryan Steadman to have someone to share your joys with and to pass it all onto. Great story and congrats on the new stick. That one is sure to possess the MOJO.
Good on you Smity. You are an asset to TradGang and will fit in just fine. Time to join us son.
TJ
Awesome story, sounds like you have a great son there, thanks for sharin', J :thumbsup:
you're making a good mark on your son.He is learning to be a giver.good job to you"Dad" as I'm sure he's learning what a good Dad is.
Great story! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup: :campfire:
Great Story... that's good stuff right there!
Man that's good stuff Ryan and it couldn't happen to better people!
Wow!!! Great story.
Great story!
I can't think of anything to say...except, this thread made me happy!
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
:clapper: :)
I just wanted to Thank everyone for the kind words. Smity is beyond his years in maturity and will do something special in the world. I am indeed a very proud Father :)
I have read this whole thing three or four times. What an awesome story. A great young man he is and will continue to be. Ryan you deserve every good thing a man can have happen in a lifetime.
Congratulations on a fine family!
:thumbsup:
Sounds like a great kid!
I won't lie I teared up a bit reading this. I took on my step dads last name just before I joined the Marines, goin on 12 years ago now. This brought back a lot of memories for me. Thanks for sharing, it sure sounds like you got a great kid there.
Good people raise good kids Ryan. Congrats on falling into that category. I know how much spending time with My son means to me.
But You better cut back on the feed bag or the next picture You two take You'll be looking up at that kid. Great story. :clapper:
:clapper:
Smity is no longer a child. You've taught him how to be a man and a good one like you! He's welcome in my camp anytime!But, I never expected anything less from you my friend!