Kindness you say??

 

#27 on my 30 before 30 list is Perform 5 Random Acts of Kindness.  I was raised to believe that if you do something nice for someone and you tell the world too look for praise, then it becomes for your glory.

 

So, with that being said the 5 random acts of kindness are complete, but I will not be telling anyone what I did to complete them. Sorry!  I just wanted to post them on here so you would know that it was done and why I won't be posting about them.

50 Shades of Grey

I loved 50 Shades of Grey!  Sometimes I was a bit sick of all the sex scenes but the story itself was intriguing.  I really wanted to know what the heck happened to him to make him so messed up.  Spill the beans Christopher.  Book review- I don’t want to give too much away, but I wanted to point out a few points that I loved/rolled my eyes out.

Email address-What mid twenties girl in this day and age does not have an email address? Really?!

Controlling and stalking have got to go

All the time-doesn’t she get tired?  This is NOT realistic.

Loved the emails between the two of them including the subjects of the emails and Christians signature line changing.

I just finished the second book and am on to the last one. NO!  I don’t want to be done, I really need to read more slowly. Haha.

Wanna here a funny story that is semi related to the book (my friend is going to KILL ME for telling it so I won’t use her real name) and I swear this really isn’t me!

(Edited to add:  This is actually from the SECOND book, 50 Shades Darker...but the story is still hilarious. Read on)

>>Do you remember the silver balls in the story?  If not, then don’t pass go and collect $200…go straight and get the book!  So the silver balls I am talking about are ben-wah balls (they help strengthen the Kegal muscles).My friend decided that she needed to strengthen her kegals so she purchased them and put them in.  She had used them before so she decided that she could take them places with her…the place was Taco Bell.  Originally they were going to go through the drive thru but the line was too long so she went inside.  She was standing in line and feels one drop out, she looks down and hears it drop on the ground and bounce away from her.  She was looking around trying to find it, and the guy in front of her points across the room.  Mortified she picks it up, not making eye contact with anyone and heads straight for the car. <<

I laugh hysterically every time I think of this story and remember how mortified she was when telling me.   I <3 my friends and their embarrassing stories.  Maybe I shouldn’t have posted this because my friend knows WAAAAY more embarrassing stuff about me. Haha.

Last day

Today is my last day in my 20's and I am not exactly thrilled.  Yes, I have been doing my 30 under 30 list (more about that later, including a recap post!), but I didn't think I would be so anguished about this.  I have been sort of emotional lately and thought why?  Then I remembered!  It's all the old lady hormones. ;)

I know I will wake up with wrinkles tomorrow! haha.  I will keep you informed.

For now, I will eat a cupcake and anticipate turning 30 at midnight (technically I was born around 9 am). 

My pineapple cupcake is courtesy of my friend from college, Laura. :)  We had lunch and then went to get a cupcake.

What’s next?

I went ahead and took the plunge…I registered for a TRIATHLON!  The Bridgeland Triathlon on August 5th to be exact. ;)

I know, I know, bikes just about kill me but I decided that I have just over 2 months to train for this thing and I will do it!  I am actually really excited. J

Now, I will tell you that I almost didn’t register because of one detail.  They make ‘fluffy’ girls/guys go into a different category called the Athena division. :/

Now, I am sure when they created it they had a positive spin in mind.  I know that larger people can’t quite compete with the skinny witches out on the course; however it does not make you feel good to be in a different division! 

I almost didn’t register but then I decided that the race wasn’t to show anyone anything or to compete against anyone, it was to compete against myself!  Who cares what category I am in?  My goal is to finish that race strong (and get bling!).  I heart race bling. J

I have decided I am going to rock out that dumb category.  My training plan is great, but I will need to tweak it a bit because I am also going to start marathon training in mid July...YIKES! 

So you guys have to help me become more accountable with my training plan and eating healthy!!  I mean it (PLEASE!).  I will update you on the progress. 

Board of Directors

My entire life I have had  my own set of Board of Directors that sat around in the big space that has been my life.  Some of these BOD's were appointed, some decided they would push themselves on board, and others were brought in by other BOD's.

I always ran decisions by them to see what they thought.  I wasn't the CEO of my own life, they made the decisions for me.  Most of the time I did what they said or took their opinion.  A few times I decided to either not ask for their opinion or not take their advice; these times were horrendous.  I rocked the boat!  How dare I not consult with them.  Who did I think I was, I can't just go make decisions on my own.  Afterall, they were just looking out in my life's best interest.

These BOD's loved to take credit for my life and brag about the things I have accomplished like they were there the entire time doing all the work and finalizing the details, but in reality these BOD's weren't always there.  The BOD's loved to get together and plot on how best to make me bend.  Gossiping together about how I did this or that.  They had there own lives to manage also, they couldn't always be bothered by the 'little things' like 1/2 marathons, birthday parties, 5K's, 30 under 30 lists, and many other things that I had accomplished.

 

So TODAY I have made a decision and I am taking a page from Donald Trump and FIRING all of my BOD's.

There will be no more BOD's sitting on the committee that is known my life.  There will be no more questions to them or looking to them for guidance.  I do believe that there will be some resistance from them because their roots run deep.  Yanking them out will be difficult and I am sure I will some screaming and guilt trips.

So, for all you BOD's out there (if you think I am talking about you, then you are probably correct), I am not asking for your opinion and I do not want to hear it.  No guilt trips, no negativity, no 'well I think', and no more ganging up on me.

I have been hurt way to many times by your lack of caring about my feelings.  CEO's have feelings! 

This CEO is taking her life back and it begins today.  Show support for me or get out of my way.

Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane

#9 on my 30 before 30 list is to skydive!  WOW!  Ummm, can I switch it for something else on my list?!  Haha.

Did I end up doing it?  YEP! Was I scared out of my mind? YEP!  Look at my hair!

I woke up at about 7:30 on Sunday morning to get ready for church.  Since moving to the West side of Houston I having been searching for a new church, I miss New Hope!  This weekend I tried Tallowood Baptist Church.  I liked the church and the pastor a lot, but I am really looking for a church with a bigger singles group where I can meet people. :/  I am going to try one more ( ) and then if I do not like that one, I will go back to Houston’s First Baptist (my fav so far).

Back to skydiving:

After church I headed home to wait for Laura and say bye to Jabba.  Jabba wasn’t interested in saying bye to me; I guess he figured I would be ok. Haha. BRAT!  I packed my bag also at this time with an extra change of clothes (just in case I pee’d in my pants! Haha).  I also ate a banana and a Clif bar (left over from my training) so I wouldn’t get sick during the jump.  Laura got dropped off right after 12 pm by Beau and my two favorite boys, Hunter and Cole.  Funny story:  I asked Hunter if he wanted to come watch me, but he said “No, if I go I will want to jump and I don’t want to today.”  Haha. He is so cute.  Cole was sleeping when they came so they put in for a nap in my bed, but of course he woke up.  Jabba was all about the visitors, soaking up every minute of ear scratching he could get. ;)  After Cole woke up he played in Jabba’s water fountain (and soaking the floor) for a while, they headed out and we were on our way to pick up Maw-Maw.  The three of us just chatted the whole way, the closer we got the more nervous I got.

We got to Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon, TX about 5-10 minutes before 2 pm and I checked in.  As I was signing my paperwork Laura said that she wished she could do it.  Eventually she said she would and got her paperwork together also.  Earlier, I had invited my Mom to see if she wanted to come watch she said she had no interest in watching her child jump out of an airplane so I called and told her that her chances of her child getting hurt by jumping just doubled and that Laura is now jumping.  “Great”, is what I heard on the other end of the phone.   Haha.  Laura called Beau and she told him she was jumping, he said something about he wishes she wouldn’t and they have two kids to think about. She went anyway. :/

Training

We were taken upstairs to hear someone tell us what to do (we were told again by our instructor later) watch a short video that included this guy.  What is going on with his beard?!  Doesn’t it make you want to braid it?

                                     

The Wait

We got there around two, but we didn’t jump til at least 3:30 or 4 pm.  I am not sure what time exactly we got into the plane, but it took awhile.  I think it might have been the wind or something.  While waiting we started talking to a guy that was doing his first solo jump. YIKES!  He was super sweet, and was a firefighter for Houston.  We talked to him for awhile and he ended up sitting with Maw-Maw and taking pictures for us while we jumped.  I didn’t get his name, but he was cute! J  I am a sucker for guys with arm muscles and he had them(no baseball cap though darnit)!  Haha.  No, I didn’t get his number (lost my nerve), but I should have!   After you watch the training video, you wait until your name is on the monitor to see what flight you are going up.  Our name was on the board already after we watched the video.   Originally I was supposed to go with a guy named Jay, but ended up being paired with an instructor named Boston.

The suit up

Laura’s guy found her first, then a while later Boston found me.  OMG!  Boston was HOTT!  I will be strapped to him any day. ;)  Swoon.

Boston showed me which suit to wear (blue) and helped me get into my harness.  I kept trying to ask him about how many times he jumped, but he kept saying two!  I seriously was hoping that he was joking, otherwise I would find another instructor pronto (cute or not!).   I told him how easily I get motion sickness and that I didn’t want to do tons of flips and turns.  He was glad I told him and gave me a plastic bag in case I got sick, and then he proceeded to tell me a few stories about people getting sick.  Luckily, I ended up not needing one.  Before we got on the plane I made sure to pray for our safety (mainly for me and Laura, but then I added everyone to be nice…thought they would appreciate it).

The plane ride

We were the second set to board the plane (the first goes last) and we sat down on the bench next to each other.  Laura and her instructor were on the other bench a few people down.  The entire way people kept joking about things and ‘being scared,’ me? I WAS TERRIFIED!  My sister said my pupils were huge and I think they then figured out I was really scared and not just acting like it.  They sort of calmed down with the joking after that.  Thank goodness! J  We were in the plane for a while, at least 5-7 minutes before we got to where we needed to be in the air.  At first it was really hot, but they opened some window or door and a breeze came in.  On the way up I prayed for everyone again!  At one point (between all my hyperventilating) they started to strap us to our instructor.  Let me tell you, you get REALLY up close and personal with your instructor.  Really close. Lucky for me Boston is a hottie so I was good. (That might sound weird, but I don’t care!).  All of the sudden the plane stalled (engine stopped) and the other door flew open (it was cold all of the sudden).  It’s weird how the plane just stops.  I tried to keep my head low (and not cry) and just focus on trying anything but jumping, but then Boston said look at the door, Laura is jumping.  I think I may of cried out a bit and reached out my hand when I saw her go.  Since we were the second pair to go inside the plane, we should have been second to last to jump, NOPE-we were the LAST!  We stood up and sort of did a crab walk thing since the ceiling in the plane was really low to the door of the plane.  We were at the door.

The jump

I tried not to look down to much I looked to the right like I was supposed to (and thought what the heck was I doing, but whatever) and Boston swayed us one way and then we were out! For probably like two seconds my stomach fell (like it does when you are on a roller coaster) and then it stopped. 

Freefalling

The free fall was loud and I was told to straighten my arms and do a ‘superman’.  The entire freefall I kept saying, “God keep me safe, God keep me safe, God keep me safe” I was too worried about myself to pray for anyone else! Haha. J  It was so cold up there and my googles were stuck to my face like they were afraid to fall too, they hurt!  Then I was tapped on the shoulder.  That is all I remember about the freefall, it was terrifying.

Parachuting

I was not paying attention to my watch and looked at it and we were at 6,000!  Oops, time to pull the cord.  I reached back and could not find the freakin’ thing.  You are supposed to pull towards you really hard, but I think I was pulling backwards.  I screamed for a second when I couldn’t pull it and sort of panicked (aren’t you proud of me, that’s the only time I screamed).  Boston realized that I wasn’t finding it and pulled it for me.  Thank goodness!  I know I can’t jump solo because I would panic.  The parachute opened (halleluiah!) and we were jerked back.  Instantly it got much quieter (freefalling is loud!  120 mph will do that). 

Once the parachute opened I instantly put my hands on the harness and held on (I did feel safe and secure in the belt, but I still wasn’t going to chance falling out).  Boston asked me how I felt and I said that my boobs hurt (sorry, TMI). The strap went right across my chest (I think a guy invented that!) and it hurt.  In air he loosened it and it felt much better.   I asked where my sister was and he looked around for her.  She was to our left and waving at us.  I looked but I was still holding on for dear life (my hands were getting tired at this point so honestly it wouldn’t have mattered) so I didn’t wave, I think Boston waved for the both of us.  Boston asked if I wanted to steer the parachute and I said no thank you, he said ok it was his favorite part so he didn’t mind.  He asked if I wanted to go through a cloud, yes please!  Clouds are awesome.  Parachuting was very relaxing (for the most part) and we just glided.  We were the last out of the plane so I got to see everyone else land.  Boston is an excellent parachute flyer and I knew I was in good hands.  He told me he was kidding earlier and that he had done around 7,000 jumps in 9 years, he had been jumping since he was 23.  Let’s all do the math…that’s 32…I am 30…he is hot… Good girls love bad boys…Boston needs to marry me.  . J (I am just kidding, if Boston ever reads this I will just DIE of embarrassment-forget jumping out of a plane!)

Laura was already on the ground and she loved it, she wants to go again.  She got to fly the parachute and do flips and turns.  This is her and her instructor afterwards (I am sad I didn’t get a picture with Boston).  When we got inside we both hugged Maw-Maw and texted my mom “finally” was all she texted back. Haha.  Laura called Beau and he was relived she was back on the ground.

I am sure there were some other technical things I didn’t mention about the jump, but I was too afraid to notice anything else.

The landing

The landing was super easy. Boston just said to lift my feet up and we would land.  We came in and people grabbed us and helped us down.  I <3 the ground.

(Laura and her instructor Dale)

After

When we landed Boston gave me a hug (double swoon) and told me to go inside and take off the suit.  I was shaking and he said it was from all of the adrenaline in my body after our jump.  Afterwards I thanked the hottie fireman for taking pictures and asked him about how Maw-Maw took us jumping.  He said she did well and only was mildly panicked when she noticed people dropping and then finally she saw parachutes opening.  He tried to find us while in air and he thought he saw me go through the cloud.  He was right, that was me!  He had been taking pictures the entire time.  Super sweet/cute fireman!

I went inside and hung up my suit on the rack and headed straight to the gift store and bought this sticker.

Afterwards I found Boston and he gave me a log book so I can record my jump in case I ever wanted to go again (NOPE!).  He even wrote Happy B’day on it. 

Final Thoughts.

Would I go again? No!  Would I recommend someone else do it? Heck yes!  It was a super fun experience, but I am not into doing things like that multiple times.  God kept me safe once; I am not going to press my luck again. J

Skydive Spaceland:  The center was really nice and professional. I felt very safe the entire time (overall, but how safe can you feel freefalling 7,000 feet?).  I would absolutely recommend going to Skydive Spaceland to anyone who wants to skydive and have an amazing time doing it.  The hanger is huge and even has a restaurant/snack bar at the top (I wouldn’t recommend eating right before going up).

My instructor Boston (aka the hottie):  Boston was super sweet and very knowledgeable; he tried to make the entire experience fun.  He has a great since of humor and I would feel safe jumping with him again (I’m not going to do it again, but if I did, I would ask for him).  THANK YOU BOSTON for keeping me safe! 

Create a Will

In my Financial Peace University class at work Dave Ramsey mentioned on one of the dvd's (or was it a book?) that everyone needed to make a will. Yikes, I hadn't even thought of it! I know it seems morbid and you don't want to think about it...but you should!  You have worked hard for your things, pass them on to the people you care about.  Make it TODAY, you aren't promised a tomorrow.  "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalms 118:24.

Why would I need a will, I don't have anything!  haha.  That's what I kept telling myself, but the more I thought about it the more I thought I wanted to make one.  In Texas (I'm not sure about other states), if you do not have a will the court will decide who gets your belongings.  The government decides on things all day, do you want them to decide on YOUR stuff?  Think about how many times you have complained about the government and how they do things! haha  They will decide on everything from your house, your kids (poor Jabba), your 401K, your savings, etc.  Even if your family 'knows' your wishes, it won't matter.  Write it out and sign it!  Think about everything you have and write it down; your car, your children (where will they go, who will take care of them), your savings/checking accounts, your 401K, your life insurance, your belongings, your jewelry, your pets, your house, your business, your rental/extra properties, and/or your investments (I know I am forgetting some stuff!).  Also think who it will go to; your family, your kids, your baby mama, or your favorite charity (Ronald McDonald house, Make a Wish Foundation, Driving Jacks, Girls on the Run, and the SPCA are a few of my favorites).

(not my real will! Source)

I started my will in March and had a basic idea of who I wanted my items/money to go to in the event of my death.  I knew that since I do not have children (Jabba 'technically' doesn't count in this case) or a husband that I wanted my nephews to get everything (basically).  I won't go into details of what I am giving (too personal, sorry!) but you get the idea.  I will tell you that Jabba goes to my friend Mandy who just happens to be his godmother. :)

While I had started it in March, I did not finish it until today.  Me=Procrastinator.  What made me finish it?  Well, I am going skydiving on Sunday as part of my 30 Before 30 List.  Who's terrified to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?  THIS GIRL!!!!!!

The thought of the government making decisions on my behalf about who gets MY stuff drove me nuts!  I printed the document (technically the will can be a napkin as long as it has your signature), had two witnesses sign it, and also had it notarized. It is currently on it's way to my parents house via the mail to be placed in their safe (well, they don't know that yet but they will find that out when they get it in the mail)  :)

So what is your action plan?  MAKE A WILL TODAY!  Skydiving or not. 

Wish me luck on Sunday when I jump!!