Thrill Seeking

For Nathan and Taylor's July Birthdays Kysa and I surprised them by taking them up to Horshoebend area to a really cool Zip Line course. It was so much fun. A series of 6 different zip lines, one of them being the longest in the Northwest.
The last zip was a race (below), so I got a head start and then Nathan took off after me on a line running parallel to mine. In a classic move our camera fell out of his pocket shortly after take off - I saw it fall down, down, down. Our guide went part way down the hill and looked for about 10 minutes and unbelievably, found our camera. We were told people aren't usually so lucky. If you're wondering, Nathan still won our race. So maybe he's just lucky.
Non-interesting fact about me- I know, hard to believe there is such a thing- the day before I was leaving for college 11 years ago I was scheduled to go skydiving. It was canceled due to weather- and then off I went to college.

Fast forward to five years ago when all of our family went to watch my SIL Tara go skydiving for her birthday. My MIL Bonnie mentioned that she thought it would be cool to go some day too. Have I mentioned that she is a double amputee?
Present Day: So for her birthday this year all of her kids surprised her by taking her skydiving! We all showed up to cheer her on and Tara went with again and Taylor and Kysa were scheduled to go too. Bonnie and Tara were first. In case you were wondering she did not wear her prosthetic legs to skydive- apparently anything that could come off -be it shoe, watch, arm or leg- is best to leave safely on the ground. I think Bonnie was a little nervous to dive but Tara was the pro and apmped to go.
A few of the grandkids watching the plane take off, they all think their Grandma is so cool. She is.
Believe it or not there is a Grandma under those layers of grandchildren. Bonnie was engulfed in a scrum (that's for you Furni) of grandchildren the moment she landed. She thought the experience was amazing and she can't wait to go again.

So guess what else happened that day? Nathan and I spontaneously decided to go skydiving as well. I am still surprised we decided to go. I had literally rolled out of bed, threw on the last of my clean clothes - I didn't even have proper foot attire so a shout out to my niece Rylee for lending me her lace up shoes :)
Nathan and I flew up together with the guys we were jumping tandem with. The little Cessna plane certainly didn't instill much confidence in it's ability to get us safely up to 10,000 feet. It had all these bare wires showing and ripped upholstery on the only seat in the tin can, the pilots. I may or may not have had thoughts like, if this is the upkeep on the plane... what about the parachutes??? For whatever reason I still got in. It was a beautiful flight getting up to altitude- the Treasure Valley was gorgeous from above.

Before I knew it the door was open and I was free falling, trying to catch my breath. It was amazing. AMAZING!
Though I went out first Nathan had a smaller chute so he landed first. Look at that handsome face, thankfully still in one piece. He doesn't usually wear Daisy Dukes, but the harness rides up in a way you won't soon forget.
My take: Stepping out of the plane you have a few last thoughts seriously reviewing your sanity but in an instant you are free falling, a freight train in your ears, hardly able to catch a breath trying to take it all in even though you are on sensory overload- and then, too soon, a big jerk as the parachute explodes open and tears you away from the greedy grasp of gravity. And then quiet. The float to the ground was so calm after the free fall. It was a bit like what I imagined, actually. Except for the insane adrenaline rush. Hard to imagine that.
Don't judge. I warned you I didn't dress (read: shower) for the occasion.

I was happy I didn't die. I love my husband, I love my children, and most days, I love my life....

But I still loved skydiving.

**Statistically speaking there is more risk each time we get in our car than going skydiving. Like by a lot. (okay, that wasn't exactly "statistically speaking" but you get what I mean) I just wanted to say that for my friends/fam (*cough* DAD!) who think we were crazy. :)