Fast forward to May 15.

There was no way our midlife crisis queen...err, heroine was going to let a little thing like FEAR stand in her way...was there?

This time there was no chance she was going to try a static line jump. The plan was to strap a guy to her back, hold her breath, and take the leap.

Was she scared this time?

She sure as hell WAS scared! But there was no way she was going to chicken out this time. NO WAY! (In fact, she paid for a videographer just because she thought she'd rather die than actually chicken out on videotape.)

Roy was going to be there the entire time. Today's class was only half an hour. After all, someone else was going to be doing all the work. All Tory had to do was fall and scream and concentrate on not puking.

Roy gasped as he saw the contract. Tory tried not to pee her pants as she signed once again.

So...

I Did It!!!!

I jumped out of a plane at 10,000 feet and it was so freaking cool I can't WAIT to do it again! Oh my GOSH! Seriously!

I was nervous until I got into the plane, then I just prayed and sang songs in my head (U2 and hymns) and looked at the absolutely AMAZING scenery. Have I mentioned that we live in heaven on earth? You could see from Seattle to Arlington and from Mt. Rainier all along the Cascades. Just GORGEOUS!

The guy who was my jump master last time (when I chickened out) was my videographer. I decided to go ahead and get the video so I could show my kids. Okay, and so I wouldn't chicken out. I mean I've already admitted that I'm a huge wuss bag...

After our short class where Jump Master Vlad taught us what would happen, how to land, how things would feel, what to expect, when something might feel "funny" but was really okay. We practiced jumping and landing. There were two other people, friends, who were doing tandems today so the three of us went through together. However since I was having the videographer, I couldn't jump with them as the plane wouldn't hold enough. So they went first and I watched very nervously from the ground.

Up came my turn. Roy had been taking lots of pictures the entire time and we'd both watched Rob and Erik jump and land. They told us that it was AWESOME and I would love it. I was getting more excited by the moment and trying REALLY hard not to let my nerves get the best of me this time.

Up came my turn. I was to be strapped to Jump Master Vlad who has done 12,000 jumps. Todd was the videographer. Vlad got me in my gear and went over the entire jump with me again. We went up and it took about 15 minutes of flight time to get the altitude and position. Vlad pointed out sites on the way and helped me feel relaxed. Alex and another guy dressed in a "vampire" suit (for sustained and accelerated free falls) were with Todd, Vlad, and I. After about 13 minutes Vlad had me turn around. He connected to me at four points using latches that could hold 5,000 pounds. Good thing I'd had a good weigh in today!

Todd opened the door and I looked down and just felt peace. I had given my fear up to God before jumping and He took it (thanks God...I owe you...put it on my substantial tab). Todd went first. He was outside the plane and gave me thumbs up, I smiled and waved to the camera giving the thumbs up, then he was gone. Next it was my turn. I stepped out with Vlad hanging onto me, crouched low, he put my other foot out (duh...gotta take BOTH feet with you, Einstein) and then we just fell. I swore I would keep my eyes OPEN for the entire jump because I didn't want to miss a moment.

OH MY GOSH! What a rush! I mean just absolutely freaking incredible. We were falling, but not. The ground didn't look like it was rushing up. It just felt ReALLY cold and funky and wild and I was screaming "Woooo!!!! I can't believe I'm DOING this!!!!! Todd was below and I was grinning and giving the thumbs up and mouthing "I love you Roy" into the camera (Vlad told me to do that) and just looking and trying to drink in every single sight every single feeling. It was wild...air rushing...cold...beautiful...a thousand different colors of green...a million different emotions...just wow.

45 seconds later WOOOOOOOSH!!!! The main chute opened and it felt like we were wooshed WAY up (really you just stop falling so fast). Todd looked like he was rushing away to the ground at a million miles a minute. Then it got REALLY quiet. I looked up and my parachute was in the perfect position. Vlad had me pop my ears and talked to me. He gave me the "brakes" (handles to steer the chute) and we did some turns to the right, turns to the left, stops...he pointed out places we could land (downtown 3rd street, the river, a field, that neighborhood over there, the parking lot) and then pointed to our target. "My point is, there are lots of places for us to land so we don't have to worry if we can't hit our target."

He talked in this wonderful charming funny accent and kept me laughing. Kept asking if I was okay. He asked if I wanted to do some circles and I yelled "Yes!!!" so we woooooooshed around to the right and stopped....then WOOOOOSH to the left. He told me he'd count to 5 and then I should yell "Hi Roy!" and he'd be able to hear me.

This was about 4 minutes. It was so beautiful and peaceful and exhilirating but not scary at all. Not even remotely scary. Vlad was very soothing and funny and kept me from even feeling a moment of fear.

We hit our target perfectly and it was incredible. Immediately I said "I want to do that AGAIN!" Todd said I was grinning from ear to ear the entire time and he was SO glad I'd come back and done it again.

Wow .... .... .... that was just incredible!