Sky Gym – Aerial Silks Atlanta

I have been trying to broaden my horizons and try all sorts of new things over the last year.  It was sparked by my 30 before 30 list but has really expanded past that since lots of the new things I’m trying aren’t part of the list.  I think of it as a sign that anything is possible if you open your mind and heart.  Granted none of these new things have translated into life changing discoveries or revelations but it has been fun and I think I am a more content and well rounded person as a result. 

This past weekend was another one of my new adventures.  I grew up fascinated by the whimsical beauty and unique talents in cirque de soleil.  These artists seem to defy natural physics and move with such grace, ease, and disgusting amounts of flexibility.  I have always wanted to try aerial dancing.  I have always been talented at dancing on the ground so I wanted to try it the next level, literally.  I talked my friend Joanna into going with me and the best part was she was equally as nervous and excited as I was. 

We arrive at the Wall Crawler Rock Club and some of their more advanced students are practicing.  They were scaling the silks like graceful spider monkeys, wrapping the fabric carefully around their limbs, and then cascading down the silks in beautiful patterns from 25 feet up.  The nerves were in full force and I was hoping they were serious about the word introductory in the class title. 

We started the class with stretching and information about aerial dancing and the silks.  Then the fun started!  The class was learning a series of poses and movements that gradually advanced.  We primarily used a large knot in the silks as a base to add stability, known as a hammock.  The instructors were extremely helpful and we ended up having a lot of fun!  The only downside is that the class was 3 days ago and it still feel like someone shredded by abdominal muscles with a switchblade.  It was a fantastic workout and I must be a glutton for punishment since I signed up for the next class in a few weeks. 

Valentine's Day

I have never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day.  The issue with the concept is that either you don’t have someone special which simply heightens your awareness of it or you do have someone special and it simply puts unnecessary pressure to make some kind of cheesy grand gesture of affection.  It’s a lose lose situation.  Thankfully Kyle is also pretty laid back about Valentine’s Day as well so we continued we our usual routine of cooking a nice dinner at home.  We grilled steaks and I made homemade risotto and salad.  It was a nice evening together and unlike giant stuffed animals or overpriced flowers it was simple and sweet which is just the way we are. 

Roller Coaster Week

This week has been all over the map and it has really worn me out.  I’m very thankful the week is winding down and I’m very ready for it to be Friday afternoon already.  Here are some of the ups and downs; I guess it’s really only one low but sometimes that one low stands out the most:

·         Monday: President’s Day = Company Holiday = Sweatpants Day
We had such a long overdue and relaxing day that included a Netflix How I Met Your Mother Marathon, takeout food, and a nap

·         Tuesday: Back to Work but I had a Chiropractic and Massage Appointment on the same day so all in all it was a good day!

·         Wednesday: Kyle’s Dad went to the hospital for chest pains – prayers please! He seems to be fine now but they are running several tests to try and pinpoint what caused the chest pain.  It has my mind on overload.  It can be really scary to watch your parents grow older and struggle with health issues.  It makes me extra motivated to kick some of the bad habits Kyle and I have while we are still young enough for it to make a long term difference.  The positive things yesterday included having dinner with Kyle’s mom and grandparents.  Kyle’s mom is in town before she heads to India for a business trip.  The day ended on a high note since I finally got to see my best friend Alyssa.  She is in town for a week and it was so nice to talk face to face since I haven’t seen her in person in about 5 months, it had been way to long!

·         Thursday: There was a big announcement for my company and the path to an LTE rollout which is huge news!  Besides that today has been a blur so far, I’m completely wiped out and counting down the work hours until I can head home and unwind.  Only 7 meetings from now :-\

Happy Friday

Be Mine

This was a project I signed up to help with a few months ago.  It started as an idea/calling for one of our adult volunteers and it really blossomed from there.  Almost immediately lots of women started signing up to help based on their spiritual gifts and time limitations.  Linda had a knack for asking people until she found someone to fill a need.  We ended up with about 20 incredible women to help make this day a success.  The goal was to have 40 girls attend.  We were blown away when 61 girls showed up on Saturday!  These girls were a mix of middle school and high school students. 

We started the day off with breakfast, a photo booth, worship, and a great message from our key note speaker Kathy Ruiz.  The first message was about God’s love for them and how in our faith we all get the chance to be God’s favorite child.  The goal was for them to understand how special, unique, and loved they all are.  After the message we headed into breakout sessions.  We covered topics like body image, inner/outer beauty, fitness/nutrition, relationships, struggles, and I presented on Netiquette.  I think at least one or two topics resonated with each girl.  We built in activities to get them talking and learning more about the other girls. 

As leaders we served the girls lunch and paired them up with a little/big sister.  The afternoon was packed with two more messages, worship, a testimony, the other set of breakout sessions, and then we ended with a giant glow stick dance party!  It was an incredible day!  We had several girls share their stories and ask for guidance and prayer.  I am always heavy hearted to hear about the struggles they have faced but I’m always thankful to be able to listen and help them navigate through both the exciting and the difficult experiences.  It was an incredible day and I can't wait to see what God has in store for these incredible girls!

Girls Night Out!

After such an incredible trip it was hard to get back into the regular routine of work.  Thankfully I had a wonderful girls night planned with Larissa the Monday after we got back.  The event was through Living Social Adventures.  It took place at Creatively Yours in Brookhaven the agenda was wine glass painting and cupcake decorating, complete with appetizers and wine.  Hanging out with Larissa is always fun because our friendship has always been mutual, very easy, and uncomplicated.  Adding painting and cupcakes was just the icing on the cake (pun fully intended). 

We had a lot of fun painting the wine glasses; they were red and pink in a Valentine’s Day theme.  One of the things I love the most about painting in a group is that everyone gets the same instructions but they all turn out differently and seem to reflect their creator.  Once we completed our glasses we moved on to the cupcakes.  I am obsessed with wedding cakes and so the idea of having icing and toppings in hand seemed like the recipe for artistic genius.  Turns out I should not quit my day job.  Granted her instructions were very basic but I don’t think I have much natural ability for creating sugary confections.  It did increase my appreciation for the artistry that goes into cake decorating and it crosses another item off my 30 before 30 list.  I managed to check off 3 things during January, not too shabby!

Surf's Up

I was so excited when I added surf lessons to my 30 before 30 list.  Both because I am fascinated by the ocean but also because I have always thought surfing was incredibly cool.  When I see surfers in movies or at the beach and they seem to have a swagger and laid back confidence that I love.

After talking Kyle into the lessons I signed us up for a group lesson with the Royal Hawaiian Surfing Academy which was just down the beach from us near Lahaina.  Taylor was our instructor and it was a group of three for our lesson which was a very good thing since none of us had tried surfing before.  After we were suited up in rash guard shirts and swim shoes we had a quick lesson on the form and then we hit the water. 

My knack for picking up dance choreography helped me because I was able to remember the steps to stand up without thinking.  Taylor signaled me to start paddling for my first wave and then my muscle memory took over and before I knew it I was standing up on a surf board.  It was a small wave but I felt like I was on top of the world.  Once you find your balance you can just enjoy the breeze and the feeling of skimming across the water.  I found out very quickly that your body goes where your eyes go so DON’T LOOK DOWN.  On my first wave I was in disbelief that I actually did it and once I got close to the beach I looked down at my feet to figure out how I was going to get down and the act of looking down answered that question for me.  My dismount was not graceful but I was addicted already!

I managed to stand on my board for every wave but one and had an incredible time.  The hour and a half flew by!  Once we got out of the water I noticed that muscles were hurting that I wasn’t even aware that I had prior to my surfing adventure.    On my last wave I jumped off my board and hit a coral rock on the way down.  I got a small cut on my knee and sadly I was kind of excited to have a battle wound.  I felt a little differently once the bone bruise set in the next day but I honestly loved every second of the surf lesson!  Here are some of my favorite pictures from the lesson.

Sunrise at Haleakala

I read about this excursion online and instantly I knew that we had to do it.  We woke up at 2:30 AM in the morning and bundled with the warmest clothes we brought (which definitely were not warm enough) and got on a van to make the trek up the volcano crater.  After driving for a couple hours we arrived at 10,000 feet up to the edge of the crater.  They were not kidding about the 3 degree temperature per every 1,000 feet; the real kicker was the chill from the wind.  We chose our place at the railing and waited for the sunrise to begin. 

After a few minutes we saw a very faint light at the horizon and then over the next 30-40 minutes we witnessed the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.  The colors were constantly changing and brightening.  The faint blues and oranges became more vibrant and starting to transition into yellows, reds, and whites.  Each moment was different and completely breathtaking.  Once enough light was peeking above the horizon line we realized we were above the cloud line and could see the fluffy white clouds below us.  The details of the volcano crater slowly started to reveal themselves.  Right around 7 AM the first sign of the sun peeked over the horizon. 

I have had some of my most spiritual experiences in nature but this was off the charts.  Looking at the beauty, complexity, and perfection of the sunrise I was overwhelmed by love and respect for God’s creation.  Here are some of the pictures but they do not do it justice.  I hope you all have the opportunity to see something like this in your lifetime! 

Sea Turtles

On our second full day in Maui we went on a snorkeling and sailing expedition with Trilogy tours.  I have not spent much time in my life on boats but I absolutely loved feeling the ocean breeze and being out at sea.  We arrived at our snorkel location and I was on a mission, I was determined to see a Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle.  I grew up loving turtles and seeing the movie Finding Nemo made it 100% clear to me that at some point in life I needed to see a sea turtle in person. 

I hate to admit this but early in my excitement about the trip I realized that my Hawaiian experience would not feel complete without seeing one of the gentle giants.  I felt like a kid on Christmas as I swam around the various coral.  For the first 15 or 20 minutes I was unsuccessful in my search.  Then a neighboring snorkeler came up for air and pointed Kyle and I in the right direction. 

My heart rate picked up a little bit and then I saw them.  There were four beautiful sea turtles on the ocean floor.  They were having their shells cleaned by small fish and I was mesmerized.  Then much to my delight one started swimming up for air and he kept swimming closer and closer to me.  As he got closer I could really appreciate the detail in his color and pattern.  They have beautiful patterns on their necks and heads.  Our crew told us each turtle has its own design, much like our fingerprints.  I had an underwater camera and everyone laughed a little because I had a photo session with the turtle that swam by me.  It was such an incredible experience to see them in their natural habitat!  Here are a few pictures from our underwater camera, excuse the incorrect date I didn’t realize it was set to 2009.

Aloha

I am planning to post a few entries about our recent trip to Maui, Hawaii.  The trip was absolutely incredible and we felt so honored to be able to be part of such a great group of people.  We arrived in Maui after a long travel day and almost immediately after arriving I could feel the stress start to melt away.  After seeing my first sunset from our hotel balcony I realized it was going to be a great week.  Throughout the week I kept catching myself thinking about how truly breathtaking and beautiful the island was.  I would look at the sunset and think that is the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen, and then I’d look at a flower and think that is the most beautiful flower I’ve ever seen and so on and so forth. 

The pace of island life is very different.  Kyle would catch me speed walking and then he would grab my hand as a signal to slow down and walk leisurely.  I very quickly realized that I do not have an islander personality but I greatly enjoyed assuming the role for a week.  We spent our first full day lounging at the beach and the pool.  After replenishing our Vitamin D levels and enjoying an afternoon nap we got ready for the big awards dinner.  I was able to meet and take a picture with our CEO and Chief Technology Officer (EVP).

I did realize that I would never have seasonal depression in Hawaii since it was 80 degrees and sunny in January.  I also realized thanks to my amazing company I get to check an item off my 30 before 30 list; visit Hawaii – CHECK!