Tornado

jumper spins in a squatting position as jump-rope alternates spinning above and going around the jumper’s body.

 So I had this whole blog post written ‘cause I knew something was coming.  I worked hard to get all these crafty sentences and things written into it and I was all pumped to put it up.

And then something happened. It wasn't a bad something, but none the less I have delayed posting that particular post that I had worked so hard on.

Actually, the something that happened was great.  It was Spectacular! Amazing! Awesome!  I never expected it to feel Wonderful!  You know?!?!  Like, it was so awesome that I just couldn't believe it!  I can't even hold in my excitement any longer!

[:  (:   My mission application has been submitted to Church HQ!!!   :)  :]

I’m pumped.  Absolutely thrilled.  And I can hardly wait for these next two weeks to go by and have my call come back in the mail.

It reminds me of the first time I aced a tornado.

Both things were just a little bit hard.  As in oh-my-heck-I've-never-done-this-before-how-am-I-ever-going-to-figure-out-what-I’m-supposed-to-do?

Ya know?  That type of hard.

And when something is that type of hard it feels so good to finally figure it out, go for it, and freaking ace it.  There’s this feeling that comes with accomplishment that is one of those unexplainable, you-have-to-feel-it-to-understand-it experiences.

The first time I aced a tornado was in fifth grade.  We were doing two plays based on books by Dr. Seuss.  One was “Horton Hears a Who” and the other “The Star-Bellied Sneetches.”  We rehearsed in class and memorized our lines and practiced in dress rehearsals.

As part of class at that time we were also learning about advertising and persuasive writing.  So, as part of the plays, we got to make up our own commercial breaks.  Everyone had to be in a commercial.  I decided to make up my own commercial for “Mike’s Jump-Rope Gym.”  Basically I wanted to show everyone in my home town how jump-roping is the coolest thing ever.

Our first performance was for the students at our school.  My commercial was right before “Horton Hears a Who” and I had only one small little problem.  I was nearly petrified.  Why?

Because I had never actually done the tornado before and it just happened to be the perfect Grand Finale for my commercial.

I had practiced and practiced but never gotten it.  This was the hardest trick I had tried to do up to that point and I had never figured it out. So there I was, standing on the stage, just hoping it would work out.

I did the little commercial thing, said my lines, did a couple tricks, and then got to the end when I was supposed to do the tornado.

I took a breath.  Got down.  Spun the rope...

FAIL.

I didn't even go through one full rotation!!!

But I guess it wasn't so bad because, for some reason unbeknownst to me, the other students thought it was pretty cool despite my epic fail.  I still felt pretty lame though.

But then there was still the performance for our parents.  And I was gonna be ready.

Okay not really.  I didn't even practice after the first performance and thus I still had no idea if I could do it.  But the performance came and once again I found myself on the stage.

I did the little commercial thing, said my lines, did a couple tricks, and then got to the end when I was supposed to do the tornado.

I took a breath.  Got down.  Spun the rope...

AND FREAKING ACED IT!!! I went around a whole seven times (if I remember correctly), which was seven whole more times than I had ever dreamed to achieve!

And it felt soooooooooooo good.  I had one of those can't-wipe-this-smile-off-my-face looks.

Mission papers, then?

Yep! They're in!

Though it wasn't exactly the same as acing the the tornado.  There weren't the whole couldn't-figure-out-what-I-was-doing-no-matter-how-hard-I-tried or the I-tried-to-do-it-and-epically-failed aspects.

But the can't-wipe-this-smile-off-my-face look?

Yeah, I had that.

And it still feels so good. :D