Peter had wanted to take another snowboarding trip with his buddies for his birthday but it wasn’t possible this year (besides, he got in a couple of days when he went to Utah earlier this month 
). So instead he took me and the boys to the gun show and then we met some of his buddies at the shooting range. He had a great day and we’re so glad he took us with him!
My sisters and I grew up in a house with no guns. Guns were scary to me and I didn’t understand them (or people who had them in their homes), but Peter grew up in an environment where guns were just a part of life on the mountain. This is one of the many differences between the family I was raised in and the family I married into. Before today I had only shot a gun once…when my brother-in-law married my twin, they lived in a tiny cabin on top of a mountain with bears prowling about. So when I visited them, he put a gun in my hands, set up a target and showed me how to shoot it. I shot it once and said that was good enough (thanks for trying, Vann!).
So when Peter took me out to the shooting range and loaded a pistol for me to shoot I was determined to do my best and have fun if I could. The first few shots really shook me up. The noise and power of it were unnerving. But the target drew me in and it was increasingly easier to make a good shot. I feel like shooting today has helped me get beyond some fears that I have had since I was a child, and I am understanding more Peter’s healthy view of “arms” and respect his taking responsibility as a citizen and leader of our home.
I hope you had a wonderful birthday Peter and I love you!
