Mike and I had a really fun experience last night that I
want to share. We pride ourselves in
being very open to new experiences and trying new things and although guns are
not really our thing, we were invited by Mike’s boss to a team building event
at the gun range. It was a special day
all around; I woke up that morning feeling quite slim and thought I’d take a
chance at trying on some pre-baby slacks for work. I’m happy to report they
slid right over my hips! That was such
big news, that I had to run around my office and show off for the ladies. My boss had scheduled my annual review for
lunch time, and that went really well, too.
As always, it could have been better- but I received some great
information about some changes to my position that I’m excited about.
After work, our friend Cassie came over to
watch the boys while we went out. She and Keith are such a blessing to our
family. Reed was so happy to see Cassie
but couldn’t hold back his disappointment at not seeing Keith, who was out of
town. Reed is a guy’s guy. While he loves the ladies, he just prefers
hanging out with the men. Even if he
just barely met a guy- he’ll continue to try to get his attention, even when it’s
the husband of a friend that we hang out with about 3 times a week- the friend
and her son, not the husband. He continues to ask for “Matt”. I’ll say, “Guess what Reed? We’re going to
the park to play with Josie and Luke!” The first thing Reed says is, “and Matt!” It’s not even a question!
I didn’t know it at the time, in fact I just found out
this morning, but yesterday was Cassie’s birthday. Some friends we are! Hey, come babysit for me
on your birthday! Wow, my obliviousness continues to surprise me. I was feeling so great about my pre-baby
slacks, that when I changed after work I chose some prebaby jeans for the first
time, too. Another check mark on the
confidence scale and a little pat on the back!
So Mike and I head of to the gun range, leaving Bryce and
Reed with Cassie (sans Keith) and when we get there they ask us to pick out a
gun. I scan the guns under the counter
while thinking to myself, Oh sure. Just pick a gun. I know nothing about guns!
How do you pick one? They’re basically all the same thing, right? No, because
that’s when I spot the pink glock. That makes the choice pretty simple- I’ll
take that one. The guy behind the
counter says, “really? I wouldn’t have pegged you as a pink girl” well then,
mister. You had me pegged wrong was all I could say! He must have liked me because he made sure that
I knew he was giving me a brand new pair of safety glasses, “from the box”. I can’t say I didn’t appreciate that.
Mike and I loaded our guns and took aim at our targets.
We shared a stall, for lack of a better word, so we swapped out our targets
each time we unloaded our gun on them and took turns shooting. Surprisingly we were both great at it. Not surprising for Mike, I suppose, he’s good
at everything he does. With me it’s hit
or miss. I’m either good at something or not.
And, when I’m not- I’m so completely and miserably not.
The first round we shot at our target about a third of
the distance away, but then we decided we might as well try the full
distance. It takes almost 10 minutes for
the target to travel the line from the very front to the very back. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but it’s slow! I made a bulls-eye and Mike could hit almost
anywhere he decided to target. I never knew, because I never had the opportunity
to find out, but now I know just how sexy my husband is with a gun. I’m glad I had him tucked away in my own
private stall, away from all his female co-workers. We don’t need to be
arousing any desires over there! And, to
be accurate, the other girls there were wives of co-workers anyway.
As we’re popping off ammunition, the expended shells are
flying out of the gun at a temperature of approximately 400 degrees. So, inevitably a shell flips right down my
shirt and starts burning my tender skin as it travels through and out the
bottom! I squeal and grab my shirt,
trying to get rid of the thing faster! Mike is cracking up and everyone whips
their attention over to the girl who can’t keep her shirt on. Mike’s boss, Todd, says “now it’s a party!” This happened twice! The second time didn’t have as much of the shock value and
just elicited a few chuckles but little did we know, when I shook my shirt that
time- I didn’t drop the shell. So, at
home that evening when I was changing my clothes there was a tink-tink of the
shell hitting the bathroom tile! I had
brought home a little souvenir in my delicates!
Todd brought some guns from his personal collection to
shoot, and everyone wanted to try out the assault rifle. Mike had a much harder time getting an
accurate shot on that one. He was able
to fire the “forty-five” just fine, though.
Me on the other hand, I couldn’t control that thing if my life depended
on it. And, I didn’t try the assault
rifle, so I can’t put a personal account of what that was like. I just stuck to my little 9mm mostly. What occurred to me, was how I became so
desensitized over the course of the 2 hours that we were there. When we first walked into the shooting range
area, I jumped out of my skin at the
first shot that went off. Then the second, then the third and I thought, this
is ridiculous, Connie! Get ahold of yourself!
I was also looking at the gun with suspicion. Accidents happen with these things all the
time, people die. People die on purpose
and on accidents because of the bullets that are forced from the barrels of
these things *shiver*. Two hours later, these deadly weapons are just heavy pieces
of metal in my hands. The loud pops are just background noise. Exposure does crazy things.
Well, Mike and I both enjoyed ourselves and I’m just glad
that we did it as a couple. Our marriage
is about making memories and sharing our experiences!
