Swimming forward...

I apologize for the lack of updates in the last 2 weeks.  I’m sure you were all anxiously awaiting my next post with bated breath.  Well wait no longer because here it is!!! I cannot believe I still have not written a post about our new house! But I'm sure most of you know by now that we are officially moved into our beautiful new lake house!  I wanted to wait to take pictures and give you a virtual tour until things were settled in a bit.  So that post will be coming next week, as soon as I return from California. :)

                The last two weeks have been filled with so much excitement combined, of course, with just the right amount of stress.  That seems to be the emotional elixir that Bart and I exist on these days.  We both took separate trips to California last week. (Yes, and I'm headed back again!)  Bart went to Sacramento for the NCCPA swoop competition and I went to Sierra Madre to see the family.  I spent my first few days at home relaxing, and of course, working out!  I drove down to Menifee to see Gonzalo, my trainer, and get a good butt kicking that was MUCH needed after the last 2 months or so of sporadic work outs and a less than healthy diet.  He has been training me virtually but there is nothing like a one on one workout with that guy.  He knows how to push me to my limits. It felt so great to get back in there!  Lindsay even joined me for his R.I.P.P.E.D.  class after my session.  As most of you know, R.I.P.P.E.D. is my FAVORITE workout regimen and my trainer Gonzalo is the best of the best.  Taking his class feels like not only a great workout but a party!  It was the rejuvenation I have so desperately needed.  After I left Menifee I headed down to Carlsbad to see Kristy, Mike and the boys.  It was so incredibly wonderful to see the boys!!  One of the biggest hardships in moving to Florida for me was feeling like I was going to miss out on the “formative” years for Dane and Ryan.  And that they would forget their Auntie Kimmy!  But it was as though nothing had changed.  I even got to go watch Dane’s final baseball game of the season.  What a riot!  It was one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever seen.  Dane definitely has a knack for hittin’ that ball!  I’m sure Mike has something to do with that, and also the fact that he’s a 5 year old in an 8 year old body.  He looks less than thrilled to be standing in the outfield.  But give him a bat and as he says, “Yep. I ran ALL the bases!”

While I was in SoCal, Bart was getting his swoop on at the CRCPL comp up north.  The CRCPL is the league that formed from joining –ISM (the league Bart started in SoCal) and the NorCal NCCPA leagues together.  He had to put quite a bit of work into this one as far as organization and course set up.  But the competition was a success (no fatalities or injuries – always a plus) and Bart even came in 4^th place overall and took 1^st in accuracy!  His teammate Rob Wallace took 1^st overall.  Once again, I wasn’t there so Bart did pretty well.  Seeing a theme? :) After the comp Bart flew into LAX to join me and a group of our closest friends in San Pedro for a scuba trip.  The trip was to celebrate 1 year since Nick Fener’s accident.  1 year since his life was spared!  Most of you reading this probably know Nick’s story but if you don’t, Nick had a skydiving accident on May 20, 2011 that left him a double amputee with a major spinal cord injury.  I couldn’t believe when Lindsay called me and said they were planning for him to scuba dive just 1 year after this horrific accident.  Nick and Lindsay are two of our closest friends and after intimately witnessing all of the battles they have fought (and won) this year, Bart and I knew this was an experience that we had to be a part of.  So we joined the gang on the Bottom Scratcher Saturday night for some hangin’ out and an extremely restless sleep (ever slept on a boat cot?) and then headed out toward Catalina early Sunday morning.  It was so fun to see all of our favorite Menifee faces aboard the Bottom Scratcher.  It was truly a special group of people, all there for the same reason: To celebrate Nick’s LIFE!  As far as I was concerned, the dives were second to that!  I had a myriad of problems with my gear that day, so I was really only able to make it on one of the three dives but was so excited that I got to make that dive with Nick, Lindsay and our good friend Cassie.  Watching Nick kick his new legs, enjoying the sea life, looking like his old self, was better than anything else I saw down there. (Well, except maybe the sea slugs) It was such a moment of elation for me but also, perspective.  When I initially had all the issues with my gear I was VERY close to throwing a Kimmy fit.  I mean after all, I JUST bought this gear, I paid to rent tanks, I paid to dive, I made the trip, and now I can’t even get in the water!?!? THIS SUCKS!!! But then I quickly realized, I’m about to let my hissy fit ruin my chance to get to see NICK dive.  A friend offered to lend me her BCD and it became very clear in that moment that I would forever regret not accepting her offer and missing that moment.  As we swam along the bottom of the ocean I just kept hearing the word PERSPECTIVE in my head.  Nick has been such an incredible source of inspiration to so many in his life.  He has always been a “life is good” kind of guy.  But really, when you skydive for a living, live with the love of your life and are surrounded by good friends and heaps of adventure, what isn’t to love about life?  But then he was thrown this unbelievable curve ball.  And although he has suffered greatly and experienced anger, sadness and every other emotion you can imagine you’d experience in that situation, he has managed to stay positive throughout this year and has continued to always look forward.  He has STILL managed to maintain his “life is good” mentality even amidst life not being so good.  What a testament to his character.  And I also know Lindsay has been a major part of that.  Her strength and perseverance rivals Nick’s.  To be that kind of support system for someone in his condition not only takes a huge amount of patience, but also a HUGE heart.   I have always loved these two people and who they are in my life, but after this year, I consider them not only friends but also my heroes.  May 20, 2011 is a day I will always remember the same as I will March 31, 2011 (when Pat McGowan passed away).  But now, May 20, 2012 has created a new memory for that day!  I’m so grateful that we were able to be a part of it and will always remember it as one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

 Bart swooping the pond at Skydive Sacramento             

 Coach Mikey having a sweet moment with the team           

after their final ball game.  It was so cute!           

 Hangin' with the girls on the Bottom Scratcher!             

 Nick and Lindsay :)         

 The Feners getting ready for their dive.            

I love this shot of Nick entering the water!             

 Lindsay, Cassie, and Me            

 Bart and Blue          

 I absolutely LOVE this picture of Bart.           

Bart, so hot right now.          

 Having some breakfast before diving.             

 Yep, this was our captain.             

   

 Scuba Kimmy            

   Nick using his new legs!             

   Nick, Lindsay, Cassie and Me                   

 Kimmy, so hot right now.          

 The Feet for Fener gang!           

 

 I had to include this picture that Amanda took of Nick

and Lindsay.  Sums up so much.

 I also had to include this.  Random, I know.  But given everything that has 

happened over the last couple of months in my life with Bart, and witnessing all

that has happened with Nick and Lindsay, I just love the message here.

Here are a few videos from our Scuba trip! The first one was made by Cassie Hero and the second by Lindsay Showalter :)
If the links don't work, just copy and paste into your browser.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/42680562

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lKYZgNw2x4