The nice guy over at The Calm Gun had some unfortunate computer issues and was forced to create a new blog.  Please go visit him at his new location.

Thanks again for all the nice comments about The Open Letter To The Anti Gun Folks.  I am not sure what is consider a lot of views, but as of last night(day 3 of it being up)  I had 12,852.  My next largest viewed post is the Give-A-Way at 1,243. I am humbled by how many people have taken the time to read it and share their comments with me.   I have been overwhelmed by your kindness.

In the rare instance that someone has been negative, I haven’t bothered to defend myself or the post (except in one thread where I simple added clarification) because the people I care about knew what I meant and the others, well their opinions don’t matter to me.  If I knew that my post was going to go viral, as JD put it, I might have made some classifications, but probably not.  

Moving on,

Recently we celebrated my birthday.  My kids made me this cake and I put on my FaceBook that I didn’t have candles in protest of vigils that serve no purpose and are ridiculous, but really my family just forgot to buy them.

This is what my family bought me for presents!!.  I opened up a bag filled with these goodies and the first 2 things I pulled out were packages with what looked to me to be rope, so I said, “Am, I going repelling?”  My husband, said, “Good grief no”.  “Not with 550 cord your not.”  I have a lot to learn and my husband, the Marine, he didn’t really say “good grief”:)

Thank God he stopped me or I might have gone off and done something stupid, like fling myself off a cliff and then I would have to join forces with Courtney and I really don’t want to have to do that.

A wonderful woman from the Noisy Room sent me a very kind email today asking if she could repost my “Open Letter To The Anti Gun Folks” on her blog.

To say that I was flattered would be an understatement.  

As my support and my community, I know you have already read my post, as you are the ones who inspired it, but if you would like see it on her blog go here.

I stole that title from Sean.

Sean has planned an Appleseed trip and he has invited us all to come along.

My husband and I are taking him up on that offer and we both are very excited.  This will be our first time, so I am nervous, but I have heard great things about the event and the people who put it on, plus I get to make Sean look at my tats, so its a win-win.

For more information go here.

Hope to see you all there.

This is for the women, who like me, at one time, or maybe still, doubted their worth.

 If you think for one minute you aren’t worth the fight, think about this..

Someone else in your life does.

You, all by yourself matter. You don’t need a single person to validate your worth, but if you are still working your way to that truth, think about someone, anyone, in your life who would miss you if you decided not to fight.

So, I got another one of ones those “your blog is kind of jacked up” emails from North last night.

He told me my blog is kind of hard to read and suggested I make the font bigger and play with the colors a bit.

I want you all to know that I am aware that my blogs lacks, well everything. It’s not a good design and you may want to sit down for this,

I don’t know what I am doing.

The only person less skilled on a computer than me, is my husband. We literally email, search the web and FB. That is it.

When I first set up the blog, I picked a template, followed the prompts, and started typing. I hated the background color, font color etc. That is actually one of the reasons for so many paragraph breaks. The font size makes it hard to read. Also, I am terrible at asking for help or asking for anything from people, so I just never did. Plus, to be honest, I didn’t even know I could change those things. I had seen cool stuff on other blogs, but I figured it was some professional thing and I am not spending money on a blog no one reads:)

I am still not spending money on the blog because I want to spend it on guns and other col stuff like that, but now that I know how, I will try to make it a better viewing and reading experience for you.

Please be patient as I try to play around the next few days and find what works best. I am not making massive changes. My blog is plain, but strangely, I have grown very attached to it and my new name. I love when you all call me “A Girl”.

I am forever grateful to Mr. North for helping me so much! I desperately needed some assistance and you, as always, were there.

So, I was at Weer’d’s place today and I read this, so I went and checked it out what Joan had to say.

I am not really confrontational and by not really, I mean, NOT AT ALL, and this will probably be the last time I go trolling in the anti cesspool, but she was talking about a vigil that I took part in and I thought I should at least attempt, one time to voice my feelings directly to her instead of just here safely behind 7000(that’s how many of you have come to see me today) of my closest gun friends.

This is how it went…

I said- I am a victim of violence. I was standing in a parking lot, traumatized with my 7 year old daughter. It was not a good day. I participated in the candle light vigil along with my gun because if, God forbid, another awful man comes at me, I have no intention of taking a chance that the next time he just might get my daughter. I hate violence. I hate being a victim. I hate be vulnerable, but what I hate more is having someone tell me I don’t have the right to fight back. This was not a mocking. It was a peaceful way to say it takes more than a candle to stop the bad guy.

She said- No one says you don’t have a right to fight back. If you truly believe there are too many victims and actually lit a candle for that reason, then you believe what I believe. Otherwise, you are mocking. No one said candles would stop anything. You totally missed the point of the whole thing- on purpose I would add.

I said-This will be my last comment, but I do find it interesting that for a group that claims to care so much about people, you didn’t offer me one bit of concern. You didn’t say, gee that must have been hard or I am sorry for your daughter. You just said I missed the point. I think I got it. Loud and clear. Me, the person, the victim, doesn’t matter at all to you.

She said- Nothing.  She didn’t post it.  She has posted other comments and 2 other posts, so I am thinking she is not gonna post it.  

I was over at Newbie Shooter’s place and read this.  I like what he has to say much better.

Just wanted to do a quick update.  We have 2 more prizes donated by 2 more fabulous people. 

Bill  over at Eastern Iowa Firearms training has donated a class for the winner and her friend if the winner either lives in Iowa or is willing to travel there.  That is in addition to the $300 I am donating.  That’s a lot of training folks.

I, again, want to reiterate that all of this donations are going to a single winner and that all of them have come from the kind hearts of these fine people.  I have only solicited one prize.  All the rest have connected me and asked if they could contribute…THAT ROCKS!!

About that one that I solicited, a few days ago, I made a comment on my FaceBook about how much I was enjoying the Remora Holster, but was kind of bummed that I had misplaced my single mag pouch.

A few minutes later Jacqui Reilly from Remora posts a comment, “send me your address and I will send you a new one.”

What?  I didn’t even know she followed my FB haps.  Very cool.

I emailed her right a way and told her I would be happy to pay for my magazine pouch, but would she be at all interested in donating one of their fine holsters for the Give-A-Way.

Her answers, Absolutely!  We would love to!

Score!!!!

Also, a few days ago, I got an email from the gentleman that runs the Weapon Blog, a blog that list all the contests, raffles, give-a-ways, etc.

He has listed our little Give-A-Way.  Again, very cool!!!  He has a lot of great contests listed, so if you haven’t already, head on over and see if there is anything you would like to try for.

At the time I checked out his list, I noticed we are the only ones under the heading of training.

I am not sure if anyone else has given away trainings before, but I am starting to suspect that it is not something that has been done a lot.

Since we all know how important training is, I was a little surprised, so I am aiming to change that.  I have a few things I am working on and lets just see if we can not make training a priority prize. 

If you know of a group, blog, organization that is offering training as a prize please let me know and also let the Weapon Blog people know, so it can be listed there.

On a personal note, I was over visiting ZerCool’s blog and he has a post about needing prayers.  I do not have any details as it is none of my business, but I would appreciate you all heading over there, giving him some words of encouragement and if you are the praying kind, pray.

Good luck to everyone for whatever contest you choose!  Have a great day!  I am off to my real life!

I Have Haters or at least people who think I am dumb F&@k.

The

folks

over

at

Reddit.com

can’t

stand

me

or

my

paragraph

breaks.

It’s been a good day!!!!!

Thanks for all the support and thanks for all the hate. No one has ever hated me before(that I know of)and while those folks lack the artful use of profanity that our good friend  Grumpy Bastard displays, they still made me laugh.

In 2005, my husband and I started the process to adopt a little girl from China.  It was a brand new scary process that we knew nothing about.  All we knew was that we wanted a child.

When I am passionate about something, I want to know everything I can about it.  So,  I did a lot of reading about China and adoption.

One of the people I read about was a woman named Gladys Aylward.  She was a poor woman from London who wanted to go to China in the 1930’s to be a missionary. but she had no skills, no education and she didn’t speak the language, so no formal organization would allow her to go.

She was angry and frustrated, but she didn’t give up.  She spent a year working and saving, so she could make the trek on her own.

As she spent time in China, it become more and more her home.  More and more a place she belonged and eventually, a place, she never wanted to leave.

Things got very ugly in China when the Japanese invaded and her family wanted her to leave, but she refused.

No matter how dangerous it got, she would not walk away from the people she had grown to love.

She said, “Greater Love Has No One Than This, That He Lay Down His Life For A Friend”- John15:13.

She said, “These are my people”.

Unlike Gladys, I didn’t want to be in this community.

I came here purely out of a desperate need.

A need to save my life.

What I found here is rare.

The gun community is a generous community.  It is unlike any other I have been associated with.

I did, for a while, belong to the adoption community for a few years and though I am still crazy passionate about children and orphans.

Those are not my people.

I did, for a while, belong to the church going Christian community and though I am still crazy passionate about God.

Those are not my people.

Generally a group, any group, has an agenda. Stated or not.  Conscious or not. No matter how well meaning, they almost always want something.

That something is usually steeped in power and control.

Politicians, religions, schools, the anti gun crowd, you name it.  They want to bring you for what you can give them, which is often nothing more than a feeling of power and self worth for the leaders of the group.

They want to take something from you in order to gain something for themselves.

Not this group.

In the past 10 months, I have gained so much more than the ability to line Up my front site on the target.

This group has welcomed me when I had absolutely nothing to offer them.

I was empty.

I was broken.

I needed things I was too weak to even know I needed.

I came here desperate and searching.

Day by day this community, these gun people, built me up.

They never once pretend to be anything other than exactly who they are.

They didn’t try to wrap themselves up in a pretty little package to draw me in.

They didn’t use smoke and mirrors and they never, not once, lied to me.

They told me things I didn’t want to hear.  They showed me things I didn’t want to see.  They made me face thing I didn’t want to face.

All while holding my hand and guiding me and nurturing me and givng me a safe place to grow.

They wanted me to grow.

They wanted me to be stronger.

They wanted me to be able to depend on myself.

They gave me everything they had, so I wouldn’t need them any more.

They gave me tools and guidance, so that I could soar and each and every time I took a step forward, they have been there, to say, good for you.  Job well done.

They did this, not because of me.

Not because I am something special.

They did it because they are special.

They are rare and they are so very, very special.

It is who they are.

Dig deep.  Dig into the core of their being.

This is who they are.

You, you who hate guns, you gave me nothing.

No hope.

No tools.

All that was offered me was a life of fear, of resentment, of bitterness, of dependance…

The gun community has offered me hope and strength, and courage.

They have taught me to have belief in myself.

They have asked nothing of me in return and, yet, I would give them my life.

Funny thing is, they would never ask me to.

This is where I belong.

These are my people.

First, I want to say thank you again to everyone who has entered the Give-A-Way.  I truly thought maybe 20 people would enter and after the 3rd day with only entry, I thought, well this is going to be easy, but on day 6, here I sit with  hundreds of entries.

I think it is remarkable how many of you are taking a proactive steps in defense of your life and freedoms.  You rock!!!

Second, I really want to apologize.  This blog thing is kicking my butt.  I had no idea how many emails I would get from so many of you.

I love it.

I love not getting an ounce of sleep because there is something about me, that has compelled you to want to share part of your life’s story with me.  I promise you I am reading them all and I care very much.  I am humbled and blessed by each of you.  I am trying to respond and to visit everyone’s blogs, but sometime I read one and think I will get to it, but then more pour in and I don’t back to it.  I need a better system.

Let me tell you that it never, ever, not once occurred to me that anyone would read this blog.  I was woefully unprepared for the way it has exploded over the past few months.  I am trying to balance my real life with my virtual life.  I have made real friends through this blog.  People I have connected with and who have impacted my life on a deeper more personal level and it is important to me that I nurture those relationships.  I want to give back by commenting on their blogs, sending emails, and just being there for them.  I also have a ton of kids and a hubby who need me plus I am still trying to learn all things guns.  So, if I have not gotten back to you please know that it is an oversight.  I can not guarantee I will get back to you, but I am trying. I appreciate your comments on this blog and through email.  Really, I do.

Thirdly, to all you bloggers out there…sorry again.  I am realizing(I kind of suspected) I don’t know what the heck I am doing.  If I have forgot to credit you or ask your permission or broke a rule, I really didn’t mean to.  Thank God for North sending me emails from time to time to tell me how jacked up I am and telling me how to fix it, or this could have been even uglier.

Basically, what I am trying to say is that I am all kinds of whacked, but I am having a blast and trying extremely hard.

That is all. Carry on.