Line 43...checked

So this is how it goes.... You make the sixty mile drive, wear the warmest fleece, the warmest gloves, the warmest cap, wear the jump suit which countless other daredevils have worn before you. The suit fits you snugly, the gear is put on you by professionals; you are strapped in, taken to the flight.
Its like the movies.. but damn you are starring in it. There are cameramen all around you, your instructor is barking orders in your ears, cracking lame jokes to make to relax. You forget everything they told you in the orientation except the "breathe~!!" You look over your shoulder at your husband; who is doing the same.. trying to smile with a mind full of worries! You look anxiously at your FIL... sitting, smiling.. not talking much.. but confident.. and then you close your eyes.. and pray.. this better go well!!!

The instructor tell you its time (!), shows the alto meter.. its 10000 feet in the air.. at 14500 feet, the light turns red, then yellow and then green... and then before you know it... your friend jumped off the plane, then your FIL, then another one.. and now its you..
At the edge of the plane at this obnoxious height and this unbelievably cold weather... you somehow don’t feel the chill!!! You look over the airplane's door and think: “Why the hell am I doing this!!!” What you see below is corn fields.. lots of them, some tiny tiny things floating in the air (They are actually the people who jumped off!!!) And then you do want to close your eyes.. but you dont, since you do want to see yourself jumping off the plane!!! yes.. willingly jumping off the plane at 14.5K feet, with the cameraman before you.. and you right after... tandem.. tied to the instructor.. yes...you hold on.. tight!

And then you jump, the first three looong seconds pass by, you open your arms.. and you are Free falling... You cant think, but you are screaming in excitement.. and you know you are flying.. you are doing something that you wanted to do for the longest time ever.. you are diving in the sky... you are grinning at the cameraman.. you are looking up in the sky.... you forget everything... but you remember your daughters face.. and you cant wait to do this again with her! The sixty seconds of the free fall feel so long... The sheer rush.. makes you crave it more. The instructor tells you pull the parachute... sanity comes back.. at 5500 feet, you pull the parachute.. like there is no tomorrow. In sixty seconds, you fell 9000 feet at 120 mph!!!! (Thank god no cops in the sky to give me the speeding tickets!)

The parachute opens..(Thank God).. you are whisked up in the air once more.. and then its smooth sailing.. you are in the sky.. looking around.. looking down.. looking happy. Is that the Chicago skyline far away! You cant stop thanking the instructor enough.. you cant believe you jumped off... you want to just relive all of it again. You think.. wow.. your hubby did do this.. just for you... He did jump off the plane.. since you wanted to experience this moment with him!

The next five to six minutes are pure bliss. You cant stop thinking of how small you are in this huge world.. your perspective changes.. your views change... and the minute you touch down.. you get rid off the links from your instructor.. the links with which you were tied to the guy.. which ensured you don’t fall off.. you run in delight.. in sheer energy and excitement to see the hubby, give him the tightest hug.. look for your friends and FIL.. who made the jump.> Especially the dad!!! kudos.. he did the sky dive with you.. making the experience all the more special!

I ran towards my daughter.. gave her a million kisses, and told her.. we have to do this together.. when she saw the video.. I didn’t think she was so sure of it. After 18 years we will talk! ;-)

Yes.. I did it.. I Skydived.. in all sanity, i jumped off a plan at 14500 feet, came back on ground.. willingly...and now cant stop thinking and talking about it!
SD did it.. and not once did he say "This is not my idea of fun"He was more pumped up!
Papa did it... yes he did...!!!

You have to experience this at least once... it is best feeling in the world.. and no matter how many times or who tells you.. you only feel it when you yourself land on the ground.. and say: "Why the hell didn’t I do it sooner!!!"

Bucket list line number 43: Sky Dive.. Checked! ;-)