Take Aim.

It was a beautiful fall afternoon. I was getting ready to go shooting for the first time with two of my sons, Andy and Joe. In the bathroom doing my hair Andy peaks his head around the corner and says, “Mom, this is not a fashion show. You should change.” I won’t embarrass myself by telling you what I had on but it involved a small amount of bling. I compromised by putting on jeans and a sweatshirt that had lace arms. One must look good while shooting right?

I have no background whatsoever with guns. Never saw one up close until my youngest son bought one. So this is a whole new arena for me.

We arrived at the shooting range and got set up. Andy had bought his AR15 while deployed in Australia and had not shot it yet. It was an amazing moment watching him shoot it. He was in his element, and he’s really good.

He shot several rounds then turned to me and said, “You ready for this, Mom?” He showed me how to hold it. How to aim. How to take the safety off. Then it was time. I was shaking so hard I couldn’t hold the rifle steady. I lined up the scope with the target as best I could while shaking. I closed my eyes, pulled the trigger and screamed….the first four shots.

Then I felt a hand gently on my shoulder and he said, “Mom, why don’t you take a break and settle your nerves.”

So I stood and watched the others in our group shoot. I was sill shaking when Andy’s friend asked me if I wanted to shoot his handgun. I decided to choose bravery and try it. It gave me the courage to try Andy’s rifle again. This time I kept my eyes open and I even hit the target!

This adventure was not about me shooting for the first time as much as it was about honoring my sons. Honoring the fact that THEY like to shoot. I would have missed seeing them come alive while shooting at the targets if I had chosen to stay in fear of guns.

The biggest lesson I have learned being a mother of boys is to honor the fact that boys are boys.

Honor that they like and want to do things that go against the very grain of a woman’s design.

I look forward to my next shooting adventure with my youngest son, in the proper attire of course, on this journey with my three sons.

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Deanna Sturgeon lives in Michigan with her husband of 32 years. A mother of three boys and 5 grandchildren, she loves playing with her grandkids, spending time with her family and friends, camping, watching the waves at the beach, and reading. She is learning to embrace what wild Jesus has for her through love, hope, dreams and laughter.

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