My first hunting weekend with the boys and all I can say is...it was awesome. I never, ever thought I would enjoy the outdoors as much as I did. We chased turkeys through some really rough terrain which doubled as a great workout for my butt muscles. The land we were on was so cool. So my hubby trekked us through trees, hills and draws before coming up on 15 toms (and I thought they were all just called turkeys!) My son got a shot and ended up with his first turkey. He was so excited he could hardly speak. Way to go!

So then it was my turn to sit in a treestand and see if I could get a deer. On our way to the stand we spotted 13 huge doe wandering around. We watched them until it was safe to get in the tree. This is where I became one with the tree. I tell you what, climbing a cedar tree 14 feet up is a little scary. And I didn't realize there isn't anything really holding you in. I just decided to not look down. My hubby left me reminding me not to fall out of the tree. Easy for him to say, he wasn't sitting on a wooden treestand no bigger than my butt. So after the vertigo went away, I started seeing deer. They were coming my way, then they would turn off. Everytime they came towards my stand, my heart started pounding. Literally. It was truly the most exciting thing I have ever experienced. I sat and just watched. I found myself talking to them..."come this way...don't go that way..." After awhile of just watching them, one doe started coming closer and closer to me. I didn't move and my hubby's instructions roamed through my head. "find the spot, draw back, anchor, shoot.." The deer kept coming closer. After a half hour of waiting, she came in right under my stand. She was a mere 10 yards away. I could see her eyelashes. It was amazing. I held my breath and slowly, slowly drew back. Hubby said no sudden movements. I anchored the arrow, lined up my sight and was ready. But the deer kept walking. She was going to be out of my sight pretty soon. So i made a quick decision...I had to get her to stop. I grunted. Just like the grunts they make on all those hunting shows. It worked. She stopped and looked up. But she was stopped right behind a branch of a tree. I could make the shot...she was so close. But the dumb branch was right in front of where I needed to shoot. I couldn't do it. I couldn't let go and risk wounding her. So we stared at each other for a minute and she kept going on her trail. I relaxed my bow. I was so close to getting it but it just wasn't meant to be. I started breathing again.

My hubby came in after dark to get me which by the way, sitting in a treestand in the dark is an eery feeling. I was glad to see him coming down the hill for me. Even though I didn't get a shot this time, it was truly awesome. The whole experience was so much more than I ever imagined. So i'm going back again in a few weeks to try again and I can't wait. I loved being with my hubby and son and learning how hunting is so much fun. I now understand why all these years, he wished he could quit work and just hunt all the time. It's a sport and my sore legs are proof of it. It's not easy let me tell ya, but seeing how beautiful nature is humbled me. It made me appreciate it in a different way. And it was all because of a wonderful hubby who introduced me to it.

So thanks, honey, for the weekend and for not forgetting to come back and get me from that treestand in the dark. (Yes, I was a litte worried about that!)