Friday, January 21, 2011

So....Are you packing?

Guns...This is a topic that I must have missed the memo about. Before my fiance got his gun on gun and shield day I never saw a real like gun before. I accidentally touched one while hugging one of our friends who is a police officer which I responded by pulling back as fast as I could. The day my fiance got his gun I truly think was one of his proudest moments in life so far. He was thrilled and couldn't wait to show me. I was nervous and completely unsure about the situation especially since I knew that weekend he would be taking me to the range to shoot. He had evening in the academy so the next morning I go over his house and I knew he had it on so I hug him above where I think the gun should be. He laughs and asks if I am scared. Of course I say no (because I am super tough lol). He goes, "Do you want to see it?" Now, I know he wants to show me and saying no really is only delaying the inevitable so I say sure. He proceeds to show me the entire thing, how to take it apart, how to make sure there is no bullet in the chamber, how to reload it, etc. He wanted me to be 100% comfortable which after this one lesson believe me I wasn't. But I played along and followed his direction on how to do all of the tasks.

Then Saturday comes along and he goes, "We are going to the range!" I was less than thrilled but we were going out East to do some Christmas shopping so I figured it was going to happen eventually and he really wanted me to shoot the gun so ok let's go. Driving there I really couldn't believe that I was going shoot a gun, a real gun, not a paintball gun or an airsoft gun but a gun that people kill other people with. We arrive at the range, he fills up the magazines (I think that is what they are called), puts our target on the post and goes, "Ok - you wanna go first?" Now, at this point, I am completely overwhelmed! There are bullets being shot off all over the place and all I keep thinking is only one person has to lose their mind and we are all dead. Needless to say, I tell him to go first and I will watch this first time. He shoots off the first  round, reloads the gun, and goes "Ok - your turn." I step up, grab the gun in my hands, and realize that this is completely not me. Holding something in my hand that could kill someone in a split second is just not who I am never mind actually shooting the thing off. But I am here and my fiance is looking at me with pure excitement that we are actually here and I am about to shoot his gun off. So, my mind is telling me to put the gun down and go back to the car, cover my ears, and tell him to meet me in there when he is done. My heart is telling me to shoot the gun, your fiance is standing there loving every second of this and honestly you are going to be a cop's wife - you need to be able to shoot a gun. So, I lift it up, look at the target, and shoot. I'm not even sure if it hit the target but I officially shot a gun! I put the gun down and said, "I'm done - your turn." He was patient and more understanding than I thought he would be but he didn't fight me about it. He toke the gun and finished the rest of the round. After, he handed me the gun and said you need to shoot more than one bullet. I did and I eventually probably shot more than him by the end of the day. I am proud to say that on the target that we counted how many rounds I shot - I shot 30 bullets, 26 making it on the target, and 14 being within the orange circle. I was proud of myself! I was proud though of my hand - eye coordination not really so much about my shooting skills. Honestly, if I never shoot a gun again I will be completely ok with it and I pray to God every night that he never has to shoot his gun. I am no longer afraid which doesn't mean that I completely agree with his need to carry it all the time but I'm not afraid to hug him which was something I thought I would never be ok doing while I knew he had it on.

Question is...Is your man packing? :)

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