Big boys and their toys

It has begun. Already.

Now, for those of you who know Mike, you already know what kinds of "big boy toys" he likes. For those of you who don't, let me clue you in.

Mike has done some amazing things in his life. He has seen and done things that most of us will never experience, both good and bad. Mike has done some EMT work, and was a firefighter for a while before joining the Marines. He was in Iraq for a few months, and although he was not on the front lines, has seen what war can be. He has witnessed many people in very bad situations. His brain works like a triage unit, classifying things that are important enough to be called "head trauma", and unimportant things that could be called "sprained ankle". He talks, understandably, about the "head trauma" things, and dismisses almost everything else. Not that those things are not important, but kinda.

Anyway, all that to say, Mike likes guns. That would be an understatement. One of my favorite things about Mike is that when he likes something, he reads up on it. And I mean EVERYTHING. Anything he can get his hands on. When he wanted to learn about successful marriages, he bought books. When he is interested in a political topic, he reads several news sources. When he is researching a product, he looks for magazines, checks forums, and, as he has been doing for the last hour, talks to the building manager about the shared interest. So when I say Mike likes guns, this isn't a "I'm cool because I have one and I'll whip it out and wave it around because I'm so cool" kind of thing. He takes it VERY seriously.

Mike is pro-Second Amendment, and exercises that right frequently. He is a member of the NRA, and recently became a licensed instructor under them. He is a member of the gun club here in town, and competes monthly in the International Defensive Pistol Association. He isn't a fanatic, but has the opinion of that song "Way Out Here":

Our homes are protected/By the good Lord and a gun/And you might meet 'em both if you come around here not welcome son

Having a firearm in the house doesn't negate his faith in God's protection over us. He just views it as doing his part in that protection. He is intensely protective- it doesn't really matter who you are. He hates injustice, and the intentional theft of innocence. He is a wonderful man. Have I mentioned that?

Except that wasn't what I was talking about. Motorcycles. That's my big boy's new favorite toy. It has been an interest for a while, and he was seriously considering it right before we met. Then he got a little distracted- I don't know why ;)- and faded into the background for a while. Soon after we started dating, I mentioned how I love motorcycles, my one "wild child" thing, I think I called it. He stared at me and nearly drove off the road. "Really?! Most women hate them!" Not this woman. I LOVE them. Every spring, the riders come out, and I just long to be on the back of one, the wind blowing in my hair- or against my helmet, I guess- our shiny bike beneath us, the wide open road before us, and the wild blue yonder above us. I would LOVE to have a bike. I'd look good in leather.

He's signed up for the class this next month, he has a quote from the bank, and we've been at the dealership twice in the last 24 hours. The intevitable (YAY!) seems to be quickly approaching. And why not? We aren't going to be on this earth forever. We might as well enjoy the proverbial ride!

That being said, it's been over an hour. Whether the super is holding him captive or the other way around, somebody needs saving. Or at least reminding that dinner is getting cold. Love you!