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PDFAs a parent- or I guess more as a mother, sometimes you think about all that you left behind. I do not mean this in a regretful way, but moreso in a nostalgic way. Last weekend we went to Moab. I love Moab! It is only 2 hours away and the weather is always warmer and the scenery is spectacular. I have been going to Moab since I was in 2nd grade. Back then Arches was more or less a free for all and it was a kid’s mecca! Now, as an adult I love going with my kids to experience the beauty and the fun that this little corner of the world has to offer.
The kids and I hike to one of the Windows
Alright, lets get to the good part. The real reason we went is for my husband to skydive. He is/was a professional skydiver for many years, before kids. He gets very few opportunities to jump this close to home, so every year, on this particular weekend we pack up and head to Skydive Moab for their annual Boogie. Okay, I will try to catch you up on the lingo-Boogie-def- a skydive party where you skydive all day and then have a big party at night. Skydivers come from allover the country to attend these “Boogies”. It is super fun and if you’re a skydiver, you know that it is the best.
Are you wondering if I ever made the leap? Yes, I sure did. Actually, over the course of many years I skydived on a regular basis. When I figured out that I was pregnant with my first child, I decided that maybe skydiving was not such a great idea. I do know many women who continued jumping well into their 2nd trimester, but I was not one of them. We have figured out that my son has 7 skydives in utero before I figured out that he was along for the ride. Anyway, my kids have grown up around drop zones watching their father jump out of airplanes and smelling jet fuel. My son told his kindergarten teacher that his favorite smell was Jet-A fuel. True story. When we are on a DZ (short for dropzone), my kids are so excited, they follow their father around like he is walking on water-he is so cool. They do not waste a single second telling perfect strangers, “THAT IS MY DAD”. It makes me smile, because I think sometimes Dads do not always get the credit they deserve. Myhusband gets major cool points for this deal.
Dad is Cool
That is all well and good, but there is an important factor left out here – the fact that their mother also skydived. I jumped out of airplanes, I jumped out of helicopters, I did it, I did it all-Dammit! And I gave it all up for them! Sorry that sounded petty, and I do not mean for it to be petty, but I want some credit! As much as Dads do not get credit for everything they do, I think Moms also don’t get the credit for being cool. My kids know I jumped out of airplanes, but they seem to forget that minor detail and I truly believe that is the way it will always be. I am Mom and their rock- I tell them to go to school, eat vegetables, get dressed, clean up, go to bed. I am the constant in their lives and in their eyes I am not cool.
Don’t get me wrong, their Dad is their rock too, but Dads are not Moms. Know what I mean? So, I will continue to go to Skydive Moab and watch all of those crazy people jump out of airplanes and remember with fondness that feeling of jumping and flying through the air, and smile even more when my kids run to my husband and look at him with awe and joy when he lands from a jump!
My son managed to sweet talk a pilot into letting him sit inthe pilot seat of one of the jump planes. He told the pilot he knew how to fly. “In fact,” he said, “I have been flying since before I was born.”
Musicmama: One of musicmamas’s passions is music in all its forms. Based in Telluride and surrounded by excellent music, she is falling in love with new sounds every day. When not immersed in the the music scene, she loves to hang out with her two kids and hubby. Constantly surprised with what life brings to the table, the adventure continues with good music, food and family.
About Author
Musicmama: One of musicmamas’s passions is music in all its forms. Based in Telluride and surrounded by excellent music, she is falling in love with new sounds every day. When not immersed in the the music scene, she loves to hang out with her two kids and hubby. Constantly surprised with what life brings to the table, the adventure continues with good music, food and family.
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