Skiing, You Make Me Smile

I can't explain it. I know it's crazy. I certainly didn't expect it to effect me like it has. There are tons of reasons why, but really, it's not about just one of them. It's the whole of it that I love. And there it is. I've said it. I am totally in love. I keep surprising myself with the extent of it. I can't get enough.

I got everything organized late Sunday night, and I got out of bed way earlier than normal Monday morning. My car was filled with music and the voices of my sons and I singing to our favorite songs. We danced on our way back to the car from the rental shop. None of us could stop smiling. Garrett went to a snow boarding class and was grinning from ear to ear like it was Christmas morning by the time he was done. Drew kept the smile on his face even after spinning around in a complete 360 and then rolling several times, loosing a ski in the process. My smile was huge when all the boys paired up with friends I and was free to explore on my own. It was even bigger when I got over my fear of going down some of the steeper runs. I love talking on the way up the lift. I don't know how that ride can feel so long, and sometimes still not be long enough. A grin would spread across my face when over the buzz of the lift I would hear someone below let out a whoop of joy. I loved speeding through some of the sections that were a little more flat as the wind blew past me, making any excess fabric flap in the breeze. I love the peaceful feeling of gliding down a hill without another soul in sight, thinking just maybe, I was the only one to take that exact path today. I loved getting things right a second time around. If anything tripped me up, took my breath away, or made me really nervous, I would head right back and do it agian. The second time around always went a lot more smoothly and I love the accomplishment of tackling something scary or hard. I love the thrill of just barely making the last ride up the lift for the day. I love the pink on my cheeks and nose that will turn a golden brown tomorrow or the next day, left from the sun that shone down on us all day. I love the slight twinge of soreness I feel in my shoulders and arms that says I used them a little more than usual today. I smiled the whole drive home as my boys shared their stories with eachother of their successes and total wipe outs. I laughed so hard when I learned what a "yard sale" was and the way the boys tried to out do eachother with tales of their biggest crashes of the day. I love that I can spend the whole day being so active, but not be too worn out for a run when I get home. I am smiling still.

A favorite song of mine describes my love of skiing so perfectly.

You make me smile like the sun

Fall out of bed

Sing like a bird

Dizzy in my head

Spin like a record

Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool

Forget how to breathe

Shine like gold

Buzz like a bee

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

Oh you make me smile

I love skiing.

I hear the first step in an addicts recovery process is just admitting the behavior. I am recognizing it, but I have no intention of taking the recovery process any further than that. I am just trying to figure out how soon I can go again.