This last year has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride! Sorry we have not posted much in the past few months life has been a touch crazy!!!

Let me start by recapping the last year for you. A few of you know but many of you don’t. At the beginning of 2015, after many unsuccessful fertility treatments, Jesse and I found out we were pregnant on Sun. Feb 28th… Only to find out that Thursday we had lost the baby. Our hearts were to say the least broken. We had been trying for soooo long and to finally feel the joy of a positive pregnancy test, only to have your entire world ripped out from under you. This is a pain and heartache I would not wish on my worst enemy.

      (I need to apologize to all my family and friends last year who were pregnant or had a baby last year. I’m sorry I did not share in your joy as my heart was broken. I’m sorry I did not attend your baby showers as it was too hard for me to handle. I’m sorry if I have seemed stand offish to hold your baby as it should’ve been my baby I was holding. I hope you can understand where I am coming from.. I hope you never have to feel that heartache that Jesse and I went through. But if you do please know that we will pray for you and love you through it.) 

That was the low of lows that we have ever had and not the way we anticipated starting the year. We have spent countless hours crying and asking God why?? and trying to figure out where we fit in this plan of God’s and in what way will He use us.

Fast forward to late summer… We have been working on opening an indoor shooting range for over a year. We had been kicking around the idea of starting at least a gun shop with a classroom in it where we could teach our concealed carry classes. We had been looking at options for location and one day I was driving to my moms office and noticed that the Furniture Galore and More building had a for rent sign in the building. Well after meetings with financial people and family who were saw our vision and dream and were willing to help out. Jesse and I signed the lease on the building on Oct 1st and began rehabbing the building to make it what we needed. We opened the doors of our shop, StS Armory, on Nov 16th!!

Since we have opened we have started to see the path that God has laid before us. We have the opportunity to use this business as an avenue to share our story and to teach people how to safely use guns and we get to help them pick the right gun for them and every once in a while God gives us the opportunity to witness to people.

BUT this business is not even close to the best part of the year so far…..

So Jesse and I have been seriously discussing and praying about where God was leading us separate from the business. I felt as though we were really being pulled towards adoption and had even started having conversations with friends who had recently adopted on their experience. The Sunday we got home from SHOT show in Vegas, we had a chance to sit and relax and catch up on some DVR time. We were watching the last few episodes of Duck Dynasty, we also caught the pilot of Jep & Jessica Growing the Dynasty. (If you have not had a chance to watch you must at least watch the first episode.) Jep and Jessica had gone through the adoption process. I really felt like this was where God was leading us.

A few nights later I had the STRANGEST dream… Jesse and I had this most beautiful baby handed to us and we had NOTHING for it.. No diapers, No clothes, NOTHING! I had to send our moms to get us stuff so we could take care of this baby. (all while living in a tree house, strange right!!) Anywho… I woke up the next morning and really felt like God was telling me that I needed to be prepared. I was thinking prepared for what!!! I felt the urge to “pee on a stick” otherwise known as a pregnancy test and HOLY COW!!!! It was POSITIVE!! Now what… Jesse was not home yet from working midnight’s the night before… so I got to surprise him with this new info…

We are so excited to announce that our little bundle of joy will be added to the workforce at StS Armory in Oct 2016!!! We have had the awesome chance to see our little bundle of joy at 3 doctors appointments.

Today is Jesse and I’s 4 year dating anniversary…  It is hard to believe that it has been 4 years already, but at the same time I don’t remember what life is like without him in it.

But none of this would have ever happened if it weren’t for a few funny stories that I will never live down….

After Jesse had taken me to the range, we started texting back and forth NON STOP!! I’m talking 5,000 messages in ONE month nonstop. One evening I was hanging out with my girlfriends and I was telling them about “this guy” and how we would text back and forth and how much we seemed to click, but I was too nervous to ask him out. So Tara took my phone and started texting him for me. She (posing as me) asked Jesse to go to dinner the next evening. Jesse responded with “sure, whatcha cookin?” My first thought was COOKING…. that means he wants to come over to my house… I had just got a new puppy a few weeks before and my house was a DISASTER!! So I told her to respond with something Italian… He said sure see you tomorrow…

Now the race was on. On my way home I called my mom in a panic as to what to make for dinner tomorrow for my crush… She told me to focus on cleaning she would throw together lasagna and bring it down for me. So I did just that, I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning to start cleaning. So much to do so little time. I cleaned like I had never cleaned before. I was also driving my mom nuts with asking what time she would be by with the lasagna.. I was NOT telling Jesse that I did not make it. She came through and dropped off the lasagna, salad and garlic bread.

IT WORKED… We had a GREAT dinner and sat and chatted for what felt like hours. (Bear was even well behaved, which if you met him as a puppy you would understand is a BIG accomplishment.)

So fast forward a few weeks and a few dates later. My cousin and his wife were in town for her baby shower and asked if we could have a double date so I agreed to “cook” again. Again… I called my mom… She threw brought lasagna down and I, once again, passed it off as my own…

But this night was different. This night would change my life. After Corey and Nikki left, Jesse and I were sitting on the couch watching a movie. Jesse asked me to go to church with him the next morning. I said “absolutely”  (read previous blog about Faith and praying to God to get me back into church.) His next question made my heart skip a beat. He asked me then “So, how do I introduce you tomorrow?”  I asked him back “How do you want to introduce me?”  He said “As my girlfriend?” I said “SURE!!”  And the rest they say is history…

Even though eventually I would have to confess to Jesse about my passing my moms lasagna off as my own.

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching I am reminded of just how much I long to be a mother and how much my faith in God has been tested. The road of infertility is one that has been long, hard and most time silent. Silence is deafening, and is very hard thing to handle and for me was not an option.

 

According to the CDC ” Yes. About 6% of married women 15–44 years of age in the United States are unable to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex (infertility).  Also, about 12% of women 15–44 years of age in the United States have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term, regardless of marital status (impaired fecundity).”

That means 1 out of every 8 couples is battling infertility in one way or another. I know, since Jesse and I opened up about our infertility struggles, more than a few of my friends sent private messages that I was not alone that they too were also facing the heartache of wanting a child but being unable to conceive. We hope that by sharing our story it may give others hope in God and comfort in that they are not alone, as well as add to our prayer warriors for us.

There have been many times through out this journey that I have cried to God and asked “WHY ME?” “Why am I being denied that opportunity to have a baby where there are horrible people out there doing horrible things to children” “What have I done that has made God mad at me and not giving me a baby”

It is in these moments that I have to realize that God’s plan and my plan are not the same. As much as I pray/want/wish to be a mother to a baby here on earth, it just not his timing yet.

There are  a few scriptures that have helped me along that way

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12:12

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” -Philippians 4:6

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

As hard as this struggle with infertility has been, I know that we would not have made it this far without our trust in God. There are still many stressful days ahead as we continue treatments and exploring and praying over all of our options. But we know one way or another, we will have a family. If you or someone you know is going through infertility, be kind, pray for them, hug them, be there for them if they need a good cry, but please DO NOT EVER say “Just relax”. If you want to know why just ask someone who is going through treatments.

So in closing, I want to say Happy Mother’s Day to all the AMAZING moms out there. To my friends who are moms or will be moms soon… Please know that, yes, it was hard for me to hear that you were pregnant and most likely I cried, but know that I love you and can only hope one day you will get to share in my good news. And a prayer for those of us who long to be mothers.

Let me start with this…. I am by NO means a fitness expert… but I’m learning how to lead a more healthy life.

I have always been heavy but it had spiraled out of control the last couple of years… there is a lot I could blame it on but when it comes down to it, it was all my fault for not taking control.

In the past, I had worked with several personal trainers and tried numerous fad diets. Nothing ever stuck…

So in December 2014, I finally decided enough was enough and I wanted to lose weight for me and be healthy for my future family. I started working with an AMAZING and supportive coach/nutritionist, Gillian!! So in 4 months of working with Gillian, I am down 34.6 lbs!! and a bunch of inches all over. I still have a long way to go but gotta start somewhere.

I love seeing the results, and it doesn’t hurt to hear that others are finally noticing my hard work too. I have also learned that I really do enjoy working out. Some days more than others but I think that comes with anything. I started in December with just eating healthy and learning how to grocery shop and cook the right meals for my hubby and I. Then in February I started working out with a personal trainer at the gym. I was getting workouts from Gillian but I did not really feel comfortable going to the gym.. and some days I still don’t… I have this “fat kid” mentality that everyone will be looking at me thinking “why is she even trying” but I’ve realized and been told to just get over that and that most people A.) don’t even notice me and B.) If they do, they are thinking “good for her”.

Hopefully, you will find some good info here in the future and I am always looking for inspiration and tips.

Katie 

We run a firearms training company.

What in the world does that mean?

Basically we teach firearm safety and the proper use and application of firearms in a recreational or defensive sense. We presently teach NRA Basic Pistol and Illinois Concealed Carry classes. We teach a number of different ways. We teach open classes, group classes, women’s only classes and small group classes.

I (Jesse) am a NRA certified instructor and Range Safety Officer and has been teaching classes for over 5 years. My shooting experience began at a young age growing up around firearms and was originally taught the proper use and safety of firearms from my parents. I studied hand to hand defense tactics and threat mitigation. I have been through multiple tactical classes in both rifle and handgun. At this time the primary classes I teach are the NRA Basic Pistol and Illinois Concealed Carry.

Katie is also a NRA certified instructor and was certified to teach NRA classes in May of 2013. Katie is a Range Safety Officer. Katie has taken tactical pistol and hands on self defense classes and brings that knowledge into every class she teaches. Katie also is the Chapter leader for the Metro East chapter for the Well Armed Woman, a ladies only shooting group that meets once a month at a local range.

Let me tell you a little story about how Jesse and I met…

In Dec 2010, I put my big girl panties on and bought my first house. I was so excited to be living on my own and had accomplished a big goal by being able to purchase my own home. This was my first time EVER living by myself. Before this I had only lived with my parents or my oldest brother.

Fast forward ONE whole month, We had a horrible snow storm (horrible by STL standards), I was working for a bank at the time, the day of the snow storm I had to have my stepdad pick me up from my house and take me to work (he had 4-wheel drive, I didn’t). Well, that was one of the slowest days I have ever had at the bank. The manager ended up closing the bank early due to the snow still falling the the road conditions getting worse. So my stepdad came and picked me up and took me back home. I had nothing better to do other than suit up and brave the cold and try my hand at shoveling snow.

While I was shoveling snow, I had a neighbor (who I had been warned about being a weird) was chasing his dog down the street, he stopped to ask “How do you like your house?” I told him I liked it, then he asked “So, do you have a roommate?” Ummm, that’s not really any of his business… I thought about it for a minute… (Single female living by herself). I said “Yep, I sure do.” Then he asked “Is your roommate male or female?” REALLY!!! I told him “male?” (Sounds right to have a male to protect me, right?) So needless to say I was done shoveling snow and was officially creeped out!

So in telling my cousin about it, he said you know what you really need to get a gun and learn to protect yourself. He said call Jesse, he will gladly teach you how to shoot. Jesse is my cousins best friend.  So on January 22, 2011 Jesse came and picked me up and took me to Town & Country Gun Club to teach me how to shoot and help me pick out a gun. I was SOOOOOO nervous, going to shoot guns with a guy I did not know. We had a BLAST. He started me out on a shotgun and then he let me shoot all the handguns he had. The conversation flowed like we had been friends forever. (Mind you, we were facebook friends but I don’t remember him. He was the best-man in my cousins wedding and was out with my cousin one evening at the same place I was but I didn’t remember him.)

 

I knew that day that Jesse was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with… It wasn’t that easy though. I’ll save that story for another day.

Hi and Welcome to our life.

We have always wanted an avenue to document the craziness in our lives, so we have decided to start this…

As the title alludes to the four most important areas of our lives and in that order our faith, our family, our firearms and our fitness journey.

So lets start with a little bit about us. My name is Katie Johnson and my amazing husband is Jesse Johnson.

FAITH. We have both grown up in homes that helped instill in us a belief in God and His path to salvation and His amazing Glory. Although we have our moments where we think we can handle it all by ourselves, we are quick to be reminded that He is in control.

 

FAMILY. Jesse and I have been married for three wonderful years as of today, April 14th. This has been the three best years of my life so far. That doesn’t mean they have been with out challenges and heartaches, but we will get into those in a later post. We have three fur babies, Bella the pointer, Shuffle the Whippet, and Bear the Shepherd/Spaniel Mix.

FIREARMS. We own a company called Soteria Training Solutions. We train people in the safe use of firearms and Illinois Concealed Carry. We also are a firearms dealer. A lot of people ask “What does Soteria mean?” to answer that question, it means

deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation deliverance from the molestation of enemies in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation of Messianic salvation salvation as the present possession of all true Christians future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.

FITNESS.  Jesse and I have just recently started our fitness journey. With the help of an AMAZING coach we have been eating healthy and working out for the last few months. In 3 months, I (Katie) have lost 30 lbs!!! I am learning a lot about myself and the things I thought that I could not do but I really can if I put my mind to it.

So now you know a little bit about us. I hope that in the future you find something that can help you in some way as so many people have impacted our lives.