Huntresses.

It is true when they say that opposites attract in marriage, but it turns out the same can be true for friendships as well.  I've often blogged about my best friend, Nicole, and about how much I enjoy the healthy, fun friendship that we share.  Nicole and I are opposites in a lot of ways. However, instead of keeping our separate interests separate, we like to try to combine them.  For example, a couple of months ago she asked me to go hunting with her.

Yes, hunting. On every Michigan man's favorite holiday: Opening Day.

I decided I would do it on one condition: She had to watch my favorite movie, Moulin Rouge, with me.  She isn't a big fan of musicals but I'm not a big fan of early mornings, walking through woods, sitting in silence, and killing animals. So it seemed like a fair trade.

Because opening day was on Tuesday the 15th, she and I spent Monday night watching Moulin Rouge. (She liked it! Success!) We said 'goodnidght' at midnight and went to our separate homes, but just 5 1/2 short hours later, were driving out to her parents house for my very first hunting adventure!  I was actually quite honored that she invited me to be a part of it because hunting is a big deal in her family.  Sometime around 6:00am, we forged our path through the darkness to what I affectionately call, "The Hunting Hut"; a small gray-ish shelter made of 2 x 4's and leftover house siding.  We crawled in through an entrance fit for hobbits (not a 5'8 girl in oversized camo pants) and began our wait for the sun to rise and the deer to move.

It was SUCH fun experience, one that I am so glad I took part in. We didn't end up killing anything, but saw several doe throughout the morning.  

  

For the record, I was unarmed during this experience.  As my friend Emily tactfully (and hilariously) pointed out, the girl (me) who doesn't remember to check the oven for pans and dishes before turning it on to 400 degrees resulting in gravely distorted tupperware lids prrrrrobably shouldn't go wandering through the woods in the dark with a rifle....

We did manage to take a couple of videos from the Hunting Hut.  My efforts to come across as a very serious hunter were all in vain as I struggled to get through either (especially the first one) without laughing hysterically.  Honestly, these videos are priceless to me and I giggle profusely every time I watch them. 

and....

I am blessed to have people like Nicole in my life.  The unconditional love and acceptance of my closest friends allows me to feel free to be myself and try new things, like hunting, fearlessly.