Skydiving...

This past Sunday I was able to share one of the best experiences I have ever had with some really great friends and my mom.

SKYDIVING!!!

I really don't think I can express how much of a big MOMENT this was for me. It's something I have wanted to do for a really long time and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I actually did it.

10,000 feet up in the air I jumped from a little plane that looked like it was motored by hamsters in a wheel. I did this with my best friend and partner in crime, Venus.

I wasn't nervous, just ready to do it. The door opened, I took three big breaths to prep myself, swung my feet over the side. The wind whipped through my hair and hit my face and I looked down to see the earth 10,000 feet away. My right leg dangled off the edge into nothing as my left leg moved myself out further onto the step. One and a half seconds later we tipped forward and started falling.

But falling was not the sensation. We were flipping and spinning and falling to the earth below but for 45 seconds I was flying. It didn't feel like falling at all - like I suddenly had the super ability to fly. I laughed and whoo-hooed my way closer to the ground below and after being able to fly for 45 seconds, the cord was pulled and the chute opened. That was the part that hurt. The pressure on my chest was immense for .10 seconds, then the words "That was awesome" came rushing through my windpipe and out of my mouth.

We were still careening to the ground, but now it felt like we were just floating there, not moving. My tandem dude, Brendan, said, "that was awesome, wasn't it! Good job on the arch!" And then he started spinning us, tugging on one side of the cords to twirl us around and around as we drifted towards a cloud. He said "have you ever been through a cloud?" I said "Ummm, just with a plane surrounding me."

He pointed down and said we could see our shadow - and sure enough, I saw the outline of the two of us and the parachute on the top of this gorgeous cloud with a rainbow circle shining around our dark shadow.

We went through the cloud and it was such an amazing thing to behold -- thick, cold, calming air enveloped us as we did spins again. We got through it and were getting closer to the ground. I asked where we were landing, he pointed and I saw the specks of two cars and my mother waving to me! What a sight to see. My sweet and wonderful mother standing on the solid ground, looking up at me and waving ecstatically to me as we did spins again and started to prep for landing.

Brendan said to just lift my legs straight out and he would take care of the rest.

We floated the rest of the two hundred and fifty feet and hit the ground lightly, as if we just jumped from a three foot wall. My feet touched the ground and I smiled the biggest smile I think I could possibly smile.

"When can I go again?!" I exuberantly yelled!

I ran over and hugged my mom and ran back to hug Brendan. Then saw Venus twirling towards the ground and yelled back up, "GO V!"

I'm still trying to put all the pieces together and figure out how I can remember every single second. Or how can I describe the feeling of being completely out of control, but completely peaceful and calm and excited and joyous and oh-so-ever-happy to someone who hasn't done it?

It's true, I will do it again -- but am so grateful that I could have done this with my friends and that my mom was there to see us all through it.

Breathtaking... wonderful... empowering...

All I can think of to explain it now...