Today I pick, Grateful.

The final load was done and everyone was gathered at the creeper pad to talk about the accuracy landings, the hard opening from that afternoon or who was all going over to the Oka Cup ceremony dinner.  I snapped this picture of Reno and Amanda because I felt like I was capturing a real moment in the day.  As a skydiver, the best part of the day is any day that the sun is up, the planes are going and your parachute opens.  As a photographer, my favorite part of the day at the dropzone is at 3pm when the morning loads are finished and the afternoon loads are heading up.  There is a lull in the dropzone where the morning jumpers are tired and are relaxing on the couches…almost in a daze…as the afternoon jumpers are getting jazzed to be going up. It makes for a strange atmosphere…and of course it’s my favorite time to capture pictures.

Last weekend I made it out to the dropzone a little late. I watched the accuracy jumpers as they slowly made their way to the little, black pad.  I snapped a million pictures with a new lens and smiled when I finally got the one I wanted.  The sun was out and the couches outside were all warm.   Wendi and I sat out there watching the landings, whispering our stories to each other, then reassuring each other that everything will work out the way it’s spose to.  My mood could have been better, but because of the place I was, my pictures reflected how I was feeling.

When I posted this picture on Facebook, Reno said she liked it because it depicted the bond between women skydivers. I looked at the picture again with eyes of someone that knows these two women and the road they have been on and what lead them to decide to spend their free time jumping from airplanes.  Yes, there is a bond between women that do this sport that may or may not be there with men jumpers.  We all respect each other, but the bond created with women, these women that I call my family, is beautiful.

Today I am grateful.
I am grateful that in a few hours I will meet these women and we will spend a few hours chasing goats.  No, that isn’t a skydiving term…we are actually going to go help a friend herd goats. The amount of excited I am…is stupid. Anyone that will listen, “I’m chasing goats this weekend!”

Today I am grateful.
I woke up with someone that truly loves me for all that I am, all that I am not and all that I want to become.  Later when I see him again, he will grin and I know that he is grinning because I am there and there is a chance that one of us will say something funny and we will laugh.  He will grab me as I am walking by and pull me into his arms and squeeze.  It’s those little things that I am most grateful for and I will never take for granted.

Today I am grateful.
I got to walk out and see my beautiful daughter and beautiful step daughter sleeping on the couches.  I sat and watched as Marina made her way around the kitchen trying to make oatmeal for her and Kara.  I love how when she wakes up she still does the same little nose rub thing she has always done.  Sometimes she still looks 11 to me with her morning ponytail all messed up and pushed over to the side.  I am grateful for her dorky eyerolls when she is telling a story or how  her and Kara, when telling a story, will tag team it and laugh when each other are telling the next part of it.  It feels like an improved skit when they say the same thing at the same time and then both crack up at each other.  I am grateful that I am still Wah-Ma and I get the same hugs and kisses I have always gotten.

Today I am grateful.
I am grateful for those little things too.
My camera batteries are all charged and the flash cards are cleaned off.
It’s not too hot, but it’s not raining.
I have forty whole dollars for the weekend.
That I keep getting to giggle thinking of when Tabitha popped her head over the backyard fence yesterday and said, Hi-ddy Ho, Neighbor! and it scared the shit out of Lester and made him scream like a girl and almost throw a brick at her!
I am grateful for Lodi Cam so I can get up on the weekends and see if anyone is at the dropzone without having to send 40 texts to 40 different people.
I am SO grateful for my best friend, Wendi.  I don’t need to say anymore. She knows how awesome she is.

It’s April…and I’m doing okay today…and for that, I am grateful.