It's a Wonderful Life: Skydiving

So I went skydiving for my very first time.... AMAZING! It was an experience unlike any other I've ever had. I had been wanting to go, but was never really serious about it until another friend had set a date to go. We planned on the date and I kept up with the weather for the weeks prior. I was cool as a cucumber the entire time. I wasn't really nervous about going, until we were on the way there and I saw the Huge red airport hangar! I instantly got knots in my stomach and started thinking twice.

So we got there, got signed in, filled out all the paperwork, and got ready to go. Waiting for the first group to get back, was nerve-racking to say the least. They got us all geared up and I started getting followed by my instructor and video photographer. I'm not good with cameras. It was almost embarrassing to have them up in my face, but I knew I wouldn't regret getting video for my jump. When the plane got there, they loaded us all up and got the show on the road. I remember kissing Lindsay and jumping in the plane. On the way up, all I could think of was my dogs and how much I missed them. I was worried that if something happened, they would be alone! Pathetic I know, but they are my whole world!

My instructor told me when we were about halfway up and again when we we were about there. We got all the way up and my instructor volunteered us to go first seeing how we were the closest to the door! I went into a state of silent panic and wanted to back out but convinced myself not to. He scooted me to the door and my video photographer jumped out. All I remember is getting right up to the door of the little plane and looking down. Bad idea!!! I think I would've passed out if there had been time for that. I jumped and spun for what seemed like forever until we got straightened out and I saw Ryan (my video photographer) flying in the air next to us with a huge smile on his face. My goggles kept moving around. I thought for sure I was going to lose them. The whole time I thought I was doing something wrong because my instructor was talking but I couldn't make out what he was saying, thanks to how fast I was falling.

When we pulled the parachute and I realized it went smoothly, I quickly calmed down. It was such a beautiful ride to see Ogden from the air. It seemed like so much happened in the shortest amount of time. I kept trying to wrap my head around everything that had just happened. It was so amazing! Since I was the first to jump out, all the others were behind me. As we were just floating down, my instructor pointed out a couple of the video photographers still "dropping" without their parachutes. I immediately freaked out at sight of the first one, thinking something was wrong because it's hard to gauge the distance between them and the earth from looking down. I realized it everything was fine, when I saw all the others doing the same thing. I was worried about landing, but it went super super smooth. As soon as I got down, Ryan had his camera up in my face! I didn't even have any words to described what just happened the last 8 minutes. All I could do was smile and sigh. I immediately wanted to go back up and do it again! Over the next couple weeks, all I could think about was skydiving! I know it's going to be an expensive hobby! I can't wait to do it again next summer! It was an AMAZING experience I will never forget!!

Here's the link to my Skydiving Video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWCBWe4V8H0

Getting all geared up.

Me and my instructor.

In the plane halfway up!

Jumping out of the plane!

My instructor fixing my glass in the air!

Smooth sailing and about to land!

I didn't have any words to explain!

This is one of my friends who I went skydiving with, Ken. He was super nervous the whole time! I don't care what he says about being "brave". He went second right after me and told me when we both landed, that he watched me drop out of the plane and got all scared for my life.... and his! ;)