Hiking Machu Picchu

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Hiking Machu Picchu is one of those “once in a lifetime” experiences and I enjoyed every moment of the three and 1/2 day, 27 mile hike!  I was traveling with 10 other fellow adventurers on a G Adventures trip in May of 2009.  We had visited the absolutely breathtaking Lake Titicaca  and were on an all day public bus ride to the beautiful and vibrant town of Cusco, which is located about thirty minutes by train to the start of the Inca Trail hike.  Typically, we traveled by private van, but this trip was an exception.

The road to Cusco from Lake Titicaca is very curvy and mountainous.  Unfortunately for the other passengers, I had intestinal problems.  The bus was swaying from side to side along the twisting roads and the restroom was small, dark, and void of toilet paper.   I couldn’t avoid the imagined glares from passengers as I had to utilize the facilities a few times that day!

For the previous two weeks, we had gradually risen in elevation within Peru, which is a good thing when you’re going to hike the Inca Trail.  Altitude sickness can strike young, old, fit or not…so if you can acclimatize…all the better!

Cusco reminded me of Europe.  Cobblestones, narrow streets and history everywhere!

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Picking Up Men at Lake Titicaca

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The next stop on my three-week tour of Peru through GAP Adventures in 2009 was Lake Titicaca.  It is the highest lake in the world–somewhere around 12,500 ft.–and is stunningly gorgeous!  It’s the largest lake in South America. This is … Continue reading →

Arequipa, Manchee…the Spitting Llama and Colca Canyon, Peru

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Arequipa, Peru is a charming and quaint town!  It was one of many areas I became acquainted with during my three week tour of Peru with G Adventures in 2009.  This photo was taken there…

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Sandy Sheets in Peru

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In 2009 I decided to do some travel.  If you’ve been reading along, you knew I went to Egypt and Jordan in early April.  Peru was next…so after being home for 10 days, I flew into Lima, Peru by myself and arrived at my hotel about 11:00pm.  For the next three weeks I would be exploring with 10 other travelers through GAP Adventures.

To avoid paying the single supplement, GAP will pair you up with a roommate.  My roommate was still awake when I arrived.  She was a college student from the Northeast area of the U.S.   The next morning I met the rest of my fellow travelers…a diverse group from New Zealand, Australia, Morocco, Gibraltar, Germany and two women from California.

We only had a few hours to explore in Lima, so my roommate and I walked around, and got some street food.  After the culture shock from Egypt…I was prepared, so Peru seemed tame.  Like Egypt, many of the restrooms were simply a hole in the ground, with no toilet paper available, and you had the privilege of paying to use them!  Please don’t think I’m complaining.  I’m not your “prissy…pampered” type of woman.  I love to camp and rough it!  I’m just stating the facts.

I loved this bicycle/wagon filled with fruit!

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Indiana Jones…where are you?

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Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan

One of the highlights for me while traveling through Egypt and Jordan with GAP Adventures in 2009, was sleeping in the desert with the Bedouin people.  Upon arrival to the camping area in the desert, we dropped our gear and made our way to the main dining tent for dinner.

We shared the tent with a group of Dutch people on pilgrimage.  They were the subdued, quiet ones on the other side.  We were the loud, fun-loving group on our side.  I actually spoke to one of the women to try to get the groups to mingle, but to no avail.  After a delicious meal, a few traditionally dressed Arab musicians entered the tent and one of the men began dancing and beckoned us to join him.   Feeling like a gypsy, I rose and began dancing, feeling breathless, having been seduced by the aromatic incense wafting through the air combined with the rhythmic melody.  Others began to join us and soon we had a party going!  I was having such a good time…I didn’t get any photos!  (the above photos I found online…but they are of the same or very similar camping spot)

The following day we took a jeep ride through the desert and I asked if I could drive.  The Bedouin driver “Mohammad” agreed to allow me and kept telling me what a good driver I was as I careened over sand dunes.  I wonder if the 4 passengers sitting in the open bed of the truck felt the same way after being jostled and bounced around…possibly fearing for their lives!

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The “Siq” … Petra, Jordan

I love this photo I took of the “Siq”, which is the mile long walk before arriving to the area called Petra, where all of the carved buildings are.  You are surrounded by towering walls of stone on either side as you walk.

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We hiked for two days throughout Petra…it was amazing!  Walking to the main entrance of Petra, I met a couple of 25ish men.  I discovered that one of them made his living taking people for rides within Petra on a donkey.  After a few minutes, he began flirting with me and wanted to take me to his “cave” on a date.  I told him I was married…but that didn’t faze him.  Throughout the day, I would see him and he would wave.

He gave me the tip of walking down a few steps for the photo shown below…so you don’t see the throngs of people!  These buildings carved into stone were simply unbelievably beautiful!  They were massive!

The Treasury, Petra, Jordan…(Raiders of the Lost Ark filmed here)

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A fellow traveler took this photo of me carefully crossing a very narrow ledge while hiking in Petra…whew!

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Beautiful Children of Jordan

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Children have such an exuberance for life…an openness…that I wish more adults could keep!

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Another unique experience we had was going to a Turkish bath while in Jordan.  The steam room resembled a cave and we were instructed to sit in the steam for 20 minutes…to then exit and be doused with cold water by a squat, muscled man in swim trunks…repeating this process three times…then to lay on a cold marble slab while he scrubs you with a mitt (ouch…that hurt)…pours cool water on you…slathers oil all over…massages roughly for five minutes and you’re done!!

Here is a group shot of us at the “Dead Sea“…the mud from the sea detoxifies your skin and makes it baby soft!  And you really do float in the Dead Sea!

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I hope you enjoyed  the trip!

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Do we really want to see the sunset?

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The 18 days I traveled through Egypt and Jordan with GAP Adventures in 2009, were filled with adventure, excitement and wonder.

Our group of 14 people from across the globe, typically traveled by private van, but we did take a night train from Cairo to Aswan.  Here is a map of our route…

This photo is of the back of the Citadel, which was originally built during the 12th Century to be a fortification…a wall surrounding Cairo, but was never completed.  It is now a preserved historic site, with mosques and museums.

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We wandered through the Khan Al Khalili bazaar.   It was an endless maze of sidewalks filled with little shops, selling clothing, jewelry, anything you could think of.  It was so colorful and intriguing!

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There had been a bombing one month prior to my arrival…a French girl died and others were wounded.  Of course my family thought it would be too dangerous to visit…

Our hotel at Mt. Sinai was very nice and the pool looked inviting…but it was too cold to swim.   I think the scenery was so simply stark and beautiful!

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I was so happy to be able to climb to the top of Mt. Sinai.  For those of you who don’t remember the significance of this area.  According to the Bible, it is where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

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It took about 3 hours to reach the top and it was timed so that we could see the sunset.  The temperature change was amazing.  By the time we reached the summit, it was freezing.   We waited about 15-20 minutes to witness the sunset…with my teeth chattering uncontrollably…I’m asking…do we really want to see the sunset??  It was pretty…but we then ran down the mountain, partially in the dark, in about 30 minutes.

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 I loved this Greek Orthodox Chapel at the top.

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The following photo is St. Catherine’s Monastery, which was built in the 6th century and is the oldest continuously functioning Christian monastery in existence. It is built on the site of the original burning bush.

Cats were everywhere!

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Our last stop was  Nuweiba, Egypt before boarding the ferry to cross the Gulf of Aquaba to Jordan…this was the beach area where our hotel was located…it was eerily deserted!

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This little girl was selling jewelry on the beach…but only five people were on the entire beach!  We couldn’t speak to each other, but you don’t always need words to communicate.  I took her hands and swung her around and around…and we laughed!

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Next we’ll explore Indiana Jones’ territory…

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More “Hubbly Bubbly” please!

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Riding a camel in Egypt should be on everyone’s bucket list!  Although it was a unique experience, once is enough.  Having ridden on a donkey and an elephant, I discovered a camel is more awkward and uncomfortable.

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Your Egyptian experience is also not complete (in my opinion) unless you partake in smoking some “Shisha” aka “Hookah” aka “Hubbly Bubbly“!  A few of us…the restless rebels…would stay up past bedtime…drink Turkish Coffee and smoke the flavored tobacco!

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We spent one night sleeping on a felucca sailboat on the Nile River.  After dividing into two groups of about 7 each, we boarded separate boats for our adventure.  It was quite obvious they split us according to age.  The other boat held the 25-34 age group and our boat was the 35-65 age group.  What’s interesting to me, is that the “restless rebels”, as I mentioned earlier, consisted of the older age group.

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A separate boat called the “service” boat was available for mealtimes and use of the bathroom.  The “restless rebels”…stayed up after the others went to bed and were talking on top of the service boat when it became noticeably windier.  Out in the distance a huge black mass was approaching quickly…

when we queried the workers, they said it was a sandstorm.  The sense of danger and exhiliration resulted in an immediate rush and feeling of…aliveness!  We were engulfed in sand for a few minutes.  I still remember the sand pelting my skin, leaving a tingly feeling.

We rode donkeys to the Valley of the Kings and if you wanted your donkey to go faster you would say “hopa hopa”.

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My donkey liked to go fast…just like me…and every time someone else would say hopa hopa – my donkey would run.

I raced one of the guys and almost fell off.

The Karnak Temple is located in Luxor, Egypt.  The entire complex which spans 1 mile x 2 miles, was built over a period of 1300 years, beginning in the 16th century BC, and is the largest ancient religious site in the world.  The last three photos are a portion of it…

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Next installment tomorrow!

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Dirty Dancing…Egyptian Style

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My first impression of Cairo was of a dirty, polluted, congested city with very aggressive drivers.  Most of the buildings had re bar sticking up, so they could continue building as they saved enough money.  The “Travel Channel” doesn’t prepare you for the reality of  experiencing a culture so very different than your own!

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It was a country of contrasts…the call to prayer echoing through the streets…five times daily…sexually suggestive noises and gestures…the desert…the lush tropical Nile valley…ugly buildings…beautiful colors of the spices & fabrics.  It was an amazing trip!

I booked the trip through a company called GAP Adventures, based out of Canada and met my fellow travelers the evening I arrived in Cairo, in March, 2009′.  There were 4 Australians, 4 Americans, 3 Irish and 3 Canadians.  Learning about their lives and countries over the next couple of weeks was an added bonus!

The weather varied from the 40’s in Mt. Sinai to the 90’s in the Wadi Rum desert of Jordan.

We spent the first day in Cairo and then took the 12 hour night train from Cairo to Aswan,  stayed for three days and then traveled for 2 hours by private van to Luxor.  After two days there we took the night train back to Cairo.

To avoid paying a single supplement GAP will pair you up with a roommate, but on this trip there were no other solo females, so I had my own room in the hotels which was nice because they were usually quite small.

I’m not much of a museum person. When I travel I’m most interested in the people, the landscapes, the culture and the activities.

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On the train ride back to Cairo, I went to the club car where you could purchase snacks/drinks and encountered an eclectic group of travelers.  While attempting to make conversation with a man from Japan, one of the waiters tied a towel around his hips…jumped up on a table…and started gyrating to the music…picture an Arab Elvis!

If you’ve ever been shopping in Mexico…the salesmen hawking their goods in Egypt are far more aggressive!  Being the fearless female that I am, one morning in Aswan, I set out on my own to shop.  Some of the men would make odd noises as I walked by…sort of a clucking noise with their tongues.  I dressed conservatively…but I think they have a distorted opinion of western women…probably from T.V.

One of the issues we encountered were the private shopping stops and pre-arranged restaurants. We decided after eating quite a few “not so good” meals to venture out on our own and the few times that we were able to do that – the food was much better. We assumed that there are kickbacks to the tour guide for bringing people to their shops and restaurants.

We risked our lives walking two miles…crossing five lanes of speeding… horn honking…Egyptian drivers…who must have inhaled too many Turkish coffees…to reach a French Restaurant called “Le Bodega”.  It was worth it…the food was excellent!

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I didn’t get sick with intestinal problems …very vigilant with my disinfectant wipes…and I didn’t eat any vegetables that weren’t cooked.

The Kissing Camel

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More later…

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5 Regrets From the Dying

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I read an article yesterday about a Nurse who cared for terminally ill patients during the last 3 months of their lives.  She listed the top five regrets that they shared and realized that we can learn a lot from them…from the clarity that they had at the end.  These are the regrets and how they relate to my life…

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all.  They knew that due to choices they had made…most of their dreams were not realized or even attempted.  Because I’m at a fork in my journey right now, the realization that I can fundamentally alter the course of my life, has been driving me a bit crazy lately.  I’m trying to listen to the Universe/God and not over-analyze…but sometimes I do!  When there are other people that are affected by your choice, it becomes more difficult, especially for women who are taught to be un-selfish and I believe are typically just wired that way.

They realize that they took their health for granted and that there was a freedom attached to it!  This is one of the reasons I take good care of myself…exercise…eat right (most of the time)…etc.

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

When I was 13 years old, I started buying all of my own clothes and funding any recreational outings by babysitting.  I worked full-time for 30 years and raised a child until the last few years…at which time I quit work to take care of my ill mother and do some traveling.  I’m back at a temporary full-time job and financially can’t retire any time soon.  My quest is to find a job that doesn’t feel like work…to do something I’m passionate about! But…I have the travel bug!  Should I become a digital nomad… somehow make money while I’m traveling or perhaps Teach English as a Second Language in a foreign country?  Universe…I’m listening!

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others and some developed illnesses because of the bitterness and resentment they held in.

This hasn’t been one of my issues.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

I regularly get together with my friends…I have a couple of girlfriends that I’ve known for over 40 years.  I’m open to having even more friends!

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

The realization that happiness is a choice did not arise until the end for many of the patients.  People convinced themselves and others that they were content, when in reality, fear kept many of them from stepping outside of their comfort zone to reach for their dreams…to be silly…or to stop worrying and let joy take its place!

I am trying to become fearless!

Next Stop…Sacramento

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Leavin on a Jet Plane…to Sacramento today!  This will be my third trip to California this year.  I’ll be interviewing with about 20 tour companies for a position as a Tour Director, along with hundreds of others.  We’ll also get to go on a couple of fun day trips.  Tomorrow is a City tour of Sacramento…followed by a wine tasting in wine country.  On Thursday, I’ll be headed to Yosemite for the day.  I went hiking in Yosemite back in 2006.  I was there by myself touring around California via Amtrak trains and buses.  On the bus ride from Napa to Yosemite, I met a girl from England and she and I hiked together the following day for nine hours…about 14 miles…with lots of elevation changes.  It was harder than hiking down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up…which I did by myself back in 2007.  Here are a couple of photos from that trip:

This career change is exciting but also makes me feel a bit apprehensive/nervous.  Public speaking was never my thing, but I joined Toastmasters back in November and have given two 5 minute speeches already.  I think it takes courage to make big changes once you’re older and I’m proud of myself.  I’m trying to get comfortable with being uncomfortable!

To change the subject…an update on the care packages for the homeless that I made and distributed.  I gave a pack to about 6 of my co-workers and about 10 other family/friends.  So far, I’ve heard that two of them have been distributed to people at street corners.  I’ve given out two of them.  I was stopped at a light and there was a guy holding a sign that said, “Veteran…Need help.”  He saw me rolling my window down and starting walking over with a smile on his face.  When I said I had a care package for him, I could tell it wasn’t what he was expecting, but he thanked me.  A guy came into the office (which is an old home in a semi-residential area) and was looking for donations for the shelter that he stays at…for people with drug/alcohol problems.  He had a printed up card with the name, address and mission of the facility that he handed to me.  I had donated $20 to a guy from the same place, a couple of years ago, who stopped me in a grocery parking lot.  Anyway, I told him about my care package and he accepted it with a “thank you”.  It’s fun to hear about how the others are distributing theirs and I can tell it makes them feel good doing so!

Other than that, I’ve been making lots more recipes from Pinterest and am taking my new work-out clothes (from Christmas) to Sacramento to jog/exercise in while I’m there to keep my body and attitude in good shape!  I’m excited about reading a new book I downloaded to my I-Pad to read on the planes, etc….”The Help”.  I haven’t seen the movie yet and like everyone else, usually enjoy the book better than the movie.

I’ll have lots of photos to post when I return and stories!  Hope everyone has a peaceful, fun and inspired week!

~Sherry~

Care Bag for the Homeless

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Guess where I got the idea to make “care bags” for the homeless–you guessed—Pinterest!

I went to Sam’s and bought most of the individually wrapped food items and to Wal-Mart  for the personal care items.  I plan on giving a pack to friends and family to keep in their cars for when the opportunity presents itself.  In warmer months, people will be standing at certain intersections with signs…but I haven’t seen any lately.

Here’s a photo of the finished pack…

I’ve done a variety of volunteer work in the past…ranging from babysitting abused women’s babies who are living in shelters…tutoring children…pouring sodas at a Cincinnati Charity…serving Hors d’oeuvre at a fundraiser…chaperoning kids at a church sponsored church event, helping to sort food at the Free Store Food Bank, delivering Christmas (tree, food, presents) to a deserving family in Over-the-Rhine area in Cincinnati, etc. etc.

There are so many charities…it’s difficult to decide which ones to get involved with.  But I’ve been drawn to the homeless people lately.  Perhaps my recent visit to San Francisco where there are a lot of homeless has sparked this interest.

Now to find the homeless people.  I live in a suburb…but I know what areas I need to go to…to find them.  I don’t like to give them money in case they have a drug or alcohol issue.

I believe most of us can’t imagine what it would be like to live on the streets (especially in the cold) and have people pass by us without even acknowledging our existence.  Stray dogs get more attention.  It’s quite appalling.  I know that many of them have a drug or alcohol dependence, but they didn’t start off saying…I think I want to grow up to be a “drug addict”!

I’ll do what I can…when I can.  Peace to all!!

My Half Marathon in Clayton, Ohio

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After some ibuprofen, a hot shower, and a nap, I’m beginning to feel better since jogging my half marathon today!  Normally, I don’t get sore after a long jog (the longest before this was 10 miles last weekend), but since it was only 35 degrees this morning, I’m assuming that is why it affected me differently… anyways…it was an experience and I’m glad I did it.

It’s kind of like childbirth, I remember I was wishing it was over a number of times, but looking back, it seemed to go rather quickly.  I finished in 2 hrs. 15 minutes, which is the time I predicted, since I normally jog 10 minute miles.

For breakfast, I had whole grain cereal with banana and almond milk, and water.  We drove an hour and 10 minutes from a suburb of Cincinnati to Clayton for the race.  There was one in town last weekend, but I was out-of-town and there is one this coming weekend, but I’ll be out-of-town again.

This is me pre-race…

My husband took photos of me and although he has many talents/strengths, photography is not one of them.  These are the best of the many he took…most of them are blurry.  But, I’m not complaining, I was thankful he came to cheer me on!  I’m fourth from the left in the photo below.  I think there were about 200 people total.  I’ll get the results sometime in the next couple of days.

We started about a minute later.

The terrain was beautiful, rolling roads through rural Ohio with pretty trees and farms along the way.  When I would get caught up in my head thinking… analyzing…etc., I would look around and be in the moment, thinking I love the feel of the sun warming me (a bit) and thankful that I am able to run (so many people can’t because of being out of shape, past injuries, or worse)!   I bought some goo to eat once (at mile 10) for energy.  It tastes like chocolate icing.  Some people don’t like to take it because of the texture, but it did seem to give me a boost.

The girl next to me in the photo below was beside me for the last 1/2 mile and I told her we could help each other go faster.  Anyway, she started to pass me right before the finish line, so I amped it up…that’s why we’re laughing!

Right afterward, I could barely breathe or walk.  I’m glad I didn’t stop running the entire time, except for 30 seconds to eat the goo, or I might not have been able to start again!

After stretching some, below is my celebratory photo!  Tonight, we’re going to a Halloween party, so a few drinks should loosen me up a bit more!  Happy Halloween to everyone and to all a GOOD NIGHT!!

Peace in the Face of Death

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As each day goes by, my mother approaches her impending death from Stage IV cancer…with acceptance.  We talk about death and what both of us envision after life will be like.  Although she has rarely gone to Church, she believes in God and Jesus and hopes that she will be with relatives that have already departed.  Her life has been difficult, having grown up very poor, one of eleven children, and having gone through most of life’s greatest stresses…divorce, the chronic illness and death of her second husband and most of her siblings and parents, and many more of life’s disappointments.

I think about what it will be like once she’s gone, when I forget and want to call her on the telephone and realize…she won’t answer.  Grinning, she says, “Once I’m gone, if you feel fingertips brushing your arm, it will be me”.  You see, she’s been the type of mother that would do anything in her power to protect her children, blurring the line between motherly nurturing and co dependence.

She tells me the same story every week of when I was little and looked up from my stroller and said, “Me push Mommy, let me push”, and of how independent I was, even then.

I am proud of the grace that she is showing during this process and realize I am my mother’s daughter.

Face Your Fears…Skydive!

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Back in 2008, I convinced my son to skydive with me at the Warren County Airport in Ohio.  I was nervous…but he was really nervous!  I wanted to be an example to him of someone that wants to experience life and face fears!  I believe the second photo is of me landing and my son is already on the ground.

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It was a great experience…my favorite part was the free fall.  I kept my eyes closed while my instructor (who was attached to my back) inched us out of the plane and once out…opened my eyes and loved it!  You’ll see in the video that my son, who is 6’9″ tall, is attached to a guy that is about 5’7″!  Just click on the following link…then provide your name (you can make one up if you want) and zip code.

via Skydive Video.

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