Steve Became My New Best Friend!

"Oh I'm a gummy bear, yes I'm a gummy bear..."
"OH I'M A GUMMY BEAR, YES, I'M A GUMMY BEAR! OH I'M A YUMMY, TUMMY, FUNNY, LUCKY GUMMY BEAR! I'M A JOLLY BEAR, YES, I'M A GUMMY BEAR! OH I'M A MOVIN, GROOVEN...."is what I heard at 6:36 this morning!

When I answered my phone I heard my mother's beautiful voice saying, "Good Morning, Sunshine! You wanted me to wake you upppp! [Hearing her smiling through the phone]  Are you excited?"

"Yea, I just got to get up now..."

I don't really remember the rest of the conversation, I just knowI laid there another 10 minutes before moving. Eventually I jumped out of bed, threw what I was going to where across it and snuck in the bathroom for my morning routine. ::15 minutes later:: Clean, refreshed, teeth brushed, wet hair, and getting dressed, I scrambled to grab the last few things I needed. Which as I'm leaving I realized were actually not a "few" but I should have grabbed a knapsack or something of the sort. But voucher, directions, camera, and shorts, and flip flops, and breakfast (blackberries and CLIFF bar :] ), and keys, and perhaps that was it... in hand, I was out the door and on the road.

The trip wasn't bad and even went through a quaint village called, Quakertown. As I FINALLY turn onto North Ridge Road, I begin just FREAKING OUT with excitement! AHHHHHHHHHHHH
As I drive, I miss the airport, so I had to turn around, go figure! LOL

I pull in and follow the signs, then I see the one I'm looking for... "Skydive".
I hurry and lace up my TOMS for fear they may just fly off, put on some mascara, grab my purse and go. I continue to follow the red and white "skydive" sign like I'm a child following the giant footprints on the ground at an amusement park, and circle to the front of the building.

People are lined up wearing the awkward fitting, yet totally cool harnesses, that will essentially keep them from plummeting to their deaths. They look as thrilled as I feel, like on cloud 9, which if it were cloudy, we would literally be on, but its not. It's PERFECT outside. Absolutely P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Clear open skies, very light breeze, sunshine warming up the air, and perhaps a slight haze that hides the Philadelphia skyline.

Just, wow. And I'm still on the ground at this point. I enter the office and they give me a clipboard to sign away my rights of suing them if I happen to die. Which I'm sure when I'm dead I won't be worried about the company who aided me in jumping out the airplane to begin with..... but I signed away anyways. In fact, I was invigorated by it. The fact I was fully coherent and signing perhaps my death contract was sickly thrilling. I even took pictures of it! I know, Mom, I'm sick, "just like my father". I can  hear you in my head and your 500 miles away!

Finishing signing the paperwork, I'm instructed to watch this video of a man who has a beard, well I'm unsure how long it was, but it went long and full below the table that he was sitting at. I'm sure he has some relation to Abe lincoln. He goes on to tell me of the risks of death and dismemberment and that what I just signed was in fact a legal binding contract. Yes, if I do die, I can't sue them, I get it. I'm unsure if they do though, because I will in fact be dead. And it will be a little difficult to sue from heaven. I'm just saying...

The video ends in a quick run through of the thrills and adventures I'm about to embark, and then I take the clipboard downstairs. I let out a squeal of utter excitement and say, "Let's do this!" There I meet my dive guide, Steve, who seems pretty cool. He informed me he's been diving about 3 weeks. I told him as long as he makes sure I don't die, then I'm cool with it. We go on to discuss how I can become a certified diver and such and all the more I'm just getting more and more excited.

Before I harness up, I rush off to the gloriously disgusting port-a-potty and release everything I don't want to risk releasing in the air, in the very unlike chance I get scared. I didn't touch anything. I should get an award for executing such a flawless pee without touching anything. My day was not planned with this many expectations, but let me tell ya, it just got better and better!

I rush back to the building to suit up! At this point I'm beyond ecstatic with excitement!! SOOOO PUMPED! I talk to this guy with a video camera for a min about how I am sooooo pumped for my jump and if I die, I'll put in a good word to Jesus about Dad :)
When I go back inside I see my name and Steve's on a TV screen telling us the line up of jumpers. Every moment just gets more awesome as the minutes go by.

Time to get harnessed up. After bouncing around like I'm stupid we line up and begin the "walk".
The walk is when we trudge out to the airplane across the tarmac like astronauts boarding their space ship.
I take note of the lovely new green ladder we must climb.

Steve goes up before me and we load in like sardines in a tin can and are ready for the back massage train. Within minutes we're off the ground and gaining altitude. I can see the field plots, swimming pools and lovely houses becoming smaller and the brown, tan, an green color pallet more vivid.

At 4,000 ft we close the door. (Yes, it was open during take off and the ascent.)
Climbing and climbing, excitement builds!
The video camera is again shoved in my face.
AHHHHHH!!!!!!
10,000 ft.

Now I feel a twinge of nerves. I peek out the door again (which mind you, is NOT a door, it is a clear plastic shammy thing that slides down in place of where a door should be), I am about to plummet into THAT! Nothingness. Just sky! And the civilization 10,500 feet below me.
All the team is fist pounding and high 5-ing and hollering with excitement! This is a party plane! I don't see any fear. Just elusive glee.
11,000 ft.

Steve tells me to get up on my knees at this point. He scoots in close behind and latches up to me. I feel the harnesses tighten as if he is strapping me in for dear life. Oh wait. He is! He hands me my goggles and we go over the procedures one last time. OH MY GOSH! I'm about to jump out of an airplane!
11,500 ft.


I put on my goggles.
The door opens and the pre-jumpers line up. I can feel the cool air rushing it. Nothing like the 70-sum degrees on the ground, its nearly 60 up here. It feels so good. Its numbing.
They stand on the edge of the door outside the plane, count out and let go!

There they fly into the abyss, holding onto each others arms!
They disappear. Next are the camera guys.
I don't really recall what was happening with them because Steve and I were now moving into the doorway. On our knees and attached tightly together, I cross my arms across my chest, put my head back on his right shoulder and feel his hands grab the door frame as we stand on our knees halfway out the aircraft.
We lurch forward, "READY!"
We lean back, "SET!"
We again lurch forwards with a vigorous thrust into the rushing air, "SKYDIVE!"

I feel my body released form the comfort of the airplane.
All I feel is freedom and disbelief!
I see the ground coming closer as the wind and air is hitting me as fast as I am hitting it on my decent to the earth at 12,000 ft. I feel nothing but excitement and adrenaline and complete shock.
I am FLYING!


This is what it feels like to FLY! I feel Steve tap my hips so I check my legs to make sure they're in place and then a tap on my shoulders to release my arms into the wind as if I just robbed a bank!
This is the best feeling in the world! Out of nowhere comes a camera guy shooting me a thumbs up and all I can do is smile!
I think I'm remembering to breathe. But in case I forgot, I close my mouth and take a deep breathe through my nose.

This is bliss! I am in awe. This impetuous, impulsive, and passionate moment of how amazing my life is and how great my God is to give it to me is overwhelming.
I believe humans are only capable of using 10% of their brain at a time, but in moments of adrenaline, its uncanny to understand how so many thoughts and feelings can go through a mind at one time, yet feel like you're not thinking of anything at all. Just embracing the moment and forgetting all exterior thoughts, feelings and pressures.

Then Steve leans and we do a spin in mid air! We lean again and do another spin! This is SO AMAZING! I feel my face and arms flapping in the wind. (Gross right?!) haha!

Forgetting it had to be deployed, I feel the chute release. It's as if we stop falling in mid air. We being to float at a much slower speed. I take in the scenery and beauty of the earth from afar up. I listen and hear nothing. This is the sound of peace. I love sitting on my back porch and listening to the leaves rustle in the wind, the birds constantly singing, talking and playing, the air conditioners running amongst the buildings, but this is peace. There is no sound, but the wind rushing by your ears. Its marvelous.

Steve lets me take the reigns for a bit and I have total control of the parachute now. Wow. I could get used to this. He loosens a couple spots on the harness so the glide down is a little more comfortable.

Then he shows me how to turn the chute, it feels like we're spinning on a tilt-a-wheel. After several minutes the ground is coming much closer. Steve says he's going to aim for the pool which at this point is fine by me. About a thousand feet above where we were, we hit the point of humidity and the heat of the earth all over again. AHH  it was so hot out! BUT SO BEAUTIFUL!
He does another spin and at this point I don't feel the best. I feel a little car sick and my ears won't pop, so I feel as if I'm in a very painful pressurized container.



We make our final decent.

I see our grassy runway.
50 ft.
Knees up!
Feet out!
"SSCCCHHHRRRUUUNNNCCSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
That is the sound of my butt scraping against the ground and putting grassy stains on my back pockets.
Perfect landing!

I wait until Steve gathers up the parachute. Its pretty, Red and Blue.
I let out some awesome "Whoop, Whoops!"
And am still up in the air on cloud 9!

Can't wait to go again!

.::AFarOffBritt::.

God, I love her!

My sister sent this to me in the mail today. The front said, "I wrote this a while ago, thought you might like a copy."

a

How blessed am I to have a wonderful God with impeccable timing, and to bless with me with such an amazing sister. One who sees past all my mess ups and broken promises to still love me that much.


I miss her.
Love you Lexi, see you this weekend!


.::AFarOffBritt::.

Never Ceasing Excitement

So I've been awake 1 hr and 11 minutes and you would think I had my day in!  I wake up and clean up, make my face feel all fresh with my MaryKay, take my vitamins, grab a banana, and set out on my trek to the main office. 


10 steps into my walk I pass the construction crew who has been using large machinery (meaning VERY LOUD NOISES) since probably 7 this morning. I holler at them for waking me up, only followed by a quick "I'm just kidding *giggle giggle*" (Dad's call really woke me up) and the one hollers back "Why didn't you bring us some coffee and donuts?!" HA! I'm pretty sure this would be a morning that I bask in my own selfishness and was thinking, "Why would I bring you coffee if I haven't even had one myself?!?!" But I savored my words.


Did you know yesterday was national Donut Day?  Well guess who missed the memo?  THIS GIRL!
I'll let you guess who informed me of this... yup! Construction guy!


I continue my journey and arrive at the office. Chat for a moment and get my business done. This chic is ready for summer, kids, she's got her pooooooooooool pass! :)  YEEEEEAAAAA


I walk back nearly unnoticed by the crew and sneak upstairs. 


Then I hear them. The far away minuscule cries! I listen closer and search the apt. The I realize who it is. I run to the back porch and my Gladiolas are yelling "FEED ME! FEED ME! FEED ME!" So I fill up the Brita and feed them. 


Yes, I give my plants filtered water. 
They appreciate it. Or maybe they don't BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE NOT BLOOMED A BUD! One day....


I then refresh Beamers food dish and give him new treats then decide to get dressed.


Then I hear another odd sound and the cat comes running into the bedroom.


Now I have no idea what the sound was, but I sneak into the living room and peak around the corner of my stairs as if mission impossible were my fantasy annnnnnndddddd, theres nothing there. But I do look across the room and see cat barf all over the dining room floor.... AHHHHH My life.


Maybe he didn't like the new treats? Maybe he just had too much fur clogged down his drain? Maybe he just caught the 1 hr flu? I can't tell ya. I just can't tell ya...


What I can tell ya is I can't wait for this cat food to be gone because he's barfed more times than I can comprehend since I bought the 9 pound bag!!!   Why did I let anyone talk me into buying a 9 pound bag of cat food?! I have one cat! Never again my friends.


Well I grab the cleaning supplies like a routine and begin the process of removing orange furry splat spots from my carpet and continue to think the same thoughts as I always do when cleaning cat barf.


It begins like this...


"Why doesn't he ever barf in his litter box? Or even near his litter box? Can you train a cat to barf in a litter box? I know what this is doing... I hear mom laughing now. This is preparing me for motherhood. Now I understand when I hear my mom saying 'what did I do wrong to deserve this?!?!' and Why does this have to be orange?!? This is teaching me patience. I don't know if I could ever keep a child alive. If they barf half as much as my cat I may just invest in a barf bag necklace for my child... hmmm there is an idea.... a barf bag necklace!!! and WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE ORANGE?!?!"


I was going to break that up, but it really was all one thought. Now as I lay here and let the chemicals that remove odor and orange flavoring soak into the carpet, I think what a great day today is! Off to the races! :)


,::AFarOffBritt::.

[Busy] I'm creating memories.

This weekend I had the opportunity of seeing such a unique perspective on friendships.


The first stop to my adventure was in NYC. I met up with a dear friend from college and we left late to have a good night on the town. Upon leaving the night began as this, "Do you care if we make a quick stop so I can see some of my friends?"

I said, "Yea! That's cool!"
The rest of the evening was a whirlwind. These guys were not just friends. They were brothers by a lifestyle. These were the men who started their journeys together of discovering the love of cars and the love of the family it made them become. You know when you're "home" and as you drive to the grocery, or to your old job, or to your besties house, its like muscle memory. That's how it is when your with friendships that have arisen from a lifestyle. It's rare. But when its discovered, a love like they have can never, ever be broken; nor forgotten.


My next stop was in Boston.
I met up with a friend from work and her friends from college. They all met in Pittsburgh and were study buddies. Well as a group of three (there may have been more, i'm unsure), the other 2 became sweet on each other and fell in love. I love hearing love stories, but seeing them is something different. It's a constant display of hope that good things do happen in this world, and happiness can be found anywhere. Whether it be India, Boston, or a small borough in PA. It's a powerful friendship and a story none of them will forget.


After Boston, I moved on to Middletown/ Newport, Rhode Island.
Here was Andy and Pat. Mind you Andy and I's friendship in and of itself is quite unique, but we'll focus on these two instead. These guys didn't meet by way of passionate extra curriculars, or in school study sessions, but were childhood friends and grew up together. Moments after meeting Pat, I learned he just returned from studying abroad in Spain and Andy recently returned home from graduating college in Ohio. I could tell its been a while since the days when they hung out like they used to, but their humor and interests ran far deeper than what most "recent friendships" do. The best was when Pat would say something simple and Andy would just laugh, and laugh, and laugh, until we were all laughing to the point of tears for reasons with "no punch lines". Its the friendship where no words are needed.


Lastly, I stayed in Dighton, MA.

Here is the friendship between Sam and I. We're the friends that never had a solid relationship. We ran into each other at camp, then teens for Christ, then in college, then in college youth groups, then we worked together, or we'd see each other all over town. But her and I have been blessed with a friendship that has never required us to communicate regularly or see each other often. All we know is here and now. Its been 2 years since I've seen her and I love her the same as I did 2 years ago. Our conversations picked up exactly where they left off and I can open up to her and share secrets with her that I cannot even tell my closest of friends. We've learned to trust each other quickly, pray for each other strongly and listen like we may never hear again.


On my drive back to PA, I tried my hardest to recall every moment of my weekend. But what stood out the most was when I stepped back and viewed what I really saw. How privileged was I to not just experience beautiful and cultural places, but I was exposed to such a wide variety of friendships, yet in every place, was welcome with open arms as if I were one of them just the same.

As unique as these all are, I'm noticing they all have a deep common denominator. Loyalty and love. 

These are the moments in life I will love to no end.


.::AFarOffBritt::.