The Pretty + The Brave: Birthdays, Parachutes, and Photobooths

Sunday was my birthday. Don’t ask me how old I turned because I’ll most likely falcon punch you and then crawl to the corner to hyperventilate (not over having just assaulted you but over my age). You can read more about my meltdown here, I’m not gonna go into it again because I’m feeling sliiiiightly better about my new age and I just gotta keep lookin’ forward. Jesus, I sound so dramatic.

Because of my quarter-life-plus-five-years-crisis I wanted to do something completely ridiculous to celebrate the second anniversary of my 29^th year of living. Something to get my mind off of freaking out over turning *gasp* 30, yeah, I said it and I’ll say it again - 30. Ahhhhh!

So naturally, I picked skydiving. Can I get a ‘what, what’?!

We woke up early yesterday morning and trekked up to Skydive Panama City. I wanted to throw up the entire ride there, for some reason I got super nervous despite the fact that I was the one that wanted to partake in said life risking event, but my nerves suddenly got the best of me. Luckily the owner and instructors were all great people so that calmed me back down once we arrived. After signing our lives away we suited up…

Then hopped in the plane...

And up we went, 10000 feet into the air.

I can’t even begin to describe the experience but it was completely amazing. Freefalling was the best part – it makes you feel so free and so alive as corny as that sounds. I screamed my face off and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. But that split second when we stepped off the plane was not for smiling.

Check out how calm he is and check out the "OH SHIT," look on my face. Priceless. But after that it was smooth sailing.

We fell straight through a cloud which was pretty cool.

Freefalling was definitely an adrenaline rush. Then when the parachute opened you were able to calm down, take it all in, and have a serene little moment all to yourself, well, you and the dude you’re strapped to.

I’ve always wanted to skydive because it seemed like it’d be so much fun, but I assumed I’d do it once, check it off my bucket list (which I wrote about here) and move on with life. WRONG! It’s something I totally plan to do again, I guess it’s like a tattoo - you can’t stop at one.

And of course no 30^th birthday is complete without wanting to feel like a kid again, so on our way out of the movie theatre (we went to see Safe House, it was tres bon) we popped in a photo booth and vogued.

See the pic of us closing our eyes while smiling (third one down)? It’s a Rumbarger trademark – Seth constantly ruins pictures by closing his eyes while smiling so now it’s kinda become a thing. Would you like some photographic evidence? I present to you exhibit A:

Yeah, he’s such a smartass, but it’s one of the things I love about him. And look, even my mother does it:

Hehe. I’m gonna get in trouble for that. She totally didn’t close her eyes on purpose in that photo but how can I not include it given the topic at hand – right?! Love you mom!

So there you have it folks, my skydiving adventures. Oh! And they gave me a video of my freefall, but I'm sure no one cares about it but me so I'll spare you. Besides, I'm sure the 247 photos I included in this post are sufficient for ya.

PS Remember how I said no presents, no dinner, no cake, etc.? Well, yesterday Seth walked in the living room with a cake. When I gave him ‘the look’ he said, “What?! Did you want me to put candles on it? That many candles would probably burn the place down!” Smartass, I tell ya.