Every year on my birthday I make a list. I know you are shocked! Me?! Make a list?! Why yes! A list!
It’s a list of all the things I want to accomplish that year. It’s really a no pressure kind of thing, just a few goals and what-nots. It sits on my desk so that I can look at it daily. Sometimes I want to throw that thing cause it’s all staring me in the face and mocking me! Other times I read a few things off and laugh or grab my date stamp and happily cross one off the list.
There are personal goals on my list this year like #2. LET IT GO!
There are silly goals on the list like #18: THIS IS THE YEAR I RIDE AN ELEPHANT!
There are crafty goals like #35: FIND CHALKBOARD CONTACT PAPER or INVENT IT! and #28: MAKE A QUILT!
And There are practical goals like #14: START CLEANING FOR THE MOVE! and #31: LIST EVERYTHING FOR SALE ON RYS.
One thing that was NOT on the list, and has NEVER been on the list was JUMP OUT OF A PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE and plummet to the earth at terminal velocity with a little German strapped to your back, praying that he isn’t as crazy has he seems and will pull that shoot at the appropriate time.
Nope! Never been on the list!
It has been on my hubby’s list and if you hear him tell it, it’s been on his list from birth.
If anything I’m a supportive wife, so the little man and I head out one Saturday morning to watch Dad Skydive.
Everything is fine, I snap a few pictures of the training lesson. Watch as the first group comes down.
Then start counting. They are going up in groups of two and the group we are with is one person down. My hubby is the odd man out.
Watch as the second group comes down. Then it happened, the question.
“Will you please jump with me? I need a partner and I can’t think of a more perfect person to do this with.” (or something like that! at least that’s how it replays in my mind!)
Seriously people I didn’t even think! I just said OK and signed the paper and put on the suit and jumped in a plane. I had to borrow shoes cause I was wearing my flip flops! I passed my camera over to the little man and kissed him and told him to take some pictures!
I didn’t even think that my child was down on the ground watching BOTH his parents jump out of a plane, until I was at about 8,000 feet. That’s when I asked if we were high enough. I think crazy German man laughed at me as he said NO. That’s when I started praying. ALOT.
At 11,000 feet the door opened, and I’m pretty sure I had a heart attack. I just looked at crazy German man with huge eyes and said, “BUT I WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION! I WASN’T GONNA JUMP! I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!!!!” and do you know what crazy German man says? I’ll tell you what he says. In this hour of pure terror, so scared I couldn’t even say any bad words, basically handing my life over to this crazy German, his words of wisdom are: ”It doesn’t matter.” IT DOESN’T MATTER! Then I’m pretty sure that he pushed us out of the plane.
The free fall lasted about 45 seconds. There is video of this. It’s pretty much the most awful thing you have ever seen. First I couldn’t breath, and the wind was shooting up my nose making it look 5 times bigger than normal. Second, I really didn’t know I had THAT many chins. Third, I didn’t know that neck skin could travel all the way up to your cheeks, but turns out at 120 MPH it can! At one point my tongue starts hanging out my mouth as it finally saw an opportunity to meet my neck up there with my cheek. That is 45 seconds of terror that no one needs to ever see. Ever.
My child! He stood on the ground and shot the greatest pictures ever!
So I scratched off #33: WORK HARDER! and replaced it with #33: GO SKYDIVING WITH MY MAN!
Work harder?! Seriously, how was that even a thought!
Inspired by this lovely lady today. I meet Jordan a little over a year ago while she was working with a group I was involved in for a short time. It quickly became evident to me that this girl has the most giving spirit for someone so young. She has a focus and determination of someone that is well beyond her years. But what has impressed me the most is her faith. An unwavering faith with boldness. An amazing combo! I know that makes her unstoppable.
Congrats Jordan! Here’s to an amazing new beginning!
I’d been waiting for this shoot for months! When Mom called and told me she wanted wild flowers and white dresses, I couldn’t wait. Add sweet little girls to the mix, with giggles and I was more than excited! I’m not used to giggled secrets here in a house full of nerf guns and video games.
Even with the bugs and the Ants in MY pants, it couldn’t have been a more perfect shoot!
I love to help welcome new family members. This sweet girl was no exception. I know that she has been keeping her family up at all hours and sneaking into bed to snuggle up with little boys. It’s just a “get to know each other” process. It might seem hard at first, but they are all loving it! And Mom is right, “Every boy needs a Dog.” We totally agree in this house!
