A birthday, some hockey and a bungy swing!

Friday night we celebrated Sam's 11th birthday. After school I picked up Da Vinci's pizza, meatlovers, Sam's favourite. We had a nice dinner and Sam opened presents from Abby, Holly, Scott, Hunter and Lillie and Grandma and Grandpa Horton. Aunt Ida, Uncle Lloyd and Brian and Robyn Cofell had sent cards to Sam as well. Thanks to everyone for sending wishes from home.
The weather forecast was calling for snow so we decided to drive up to QueenstownFriday night for Dano's hockey games and Sammer's birthday bungy jump. We finished our birthday "tea", packed, delivered Abby to Libby's house in exchange for James, Sam's friend. The drive to Q-town was smooth sailing and we arrived at the cabin in time for the boys to play with Sam's new birthday gift, Bakugan and Lego. Snow blanketed Queenstown while we slept and the morning was beautiful. Dan thought we ought to go early to the arena where he was scheduled to play two games of hockey. We got to the arena at 8:20am to find that no one else from Gore could get through, except the Smith family who came up the night before as well. Luckily the women's team needed players so Dano strapped on his bra and played for the women's team for the first game. With 3 games in total played and 7 hours later, we finally left the damn cold arena to head up the Gondola for Sam's birthday bungy jump.
The whole day Sam was in high spirits, ready for his jump. He and James had a wonderful day in the snow, playing outside the arena while I froze in the arena. We headed up the Gondola, Sam smiling the whole way, Dan and I kept waiting for him to change his mind. Sam is not much of a thrill seeker. Sam and James played with snow, drove video game race cars and hung out while we waited for his 6:30pm jump time. The Ledge offers two forms of thrill falling, bungy jumping and bungy swinging. Sam chose bungy jumping, we paid and filled out the paper work. Out at the ledge there is a waiting area where James and I looked on. Dan took Sam out to the jumping pod. Sam walked out looking calm as if the idea of launching himself off a mountain did not phase him. We were stunned at his calmness, this child was afraid to sleep on the top bunk at camp last year. Anyway, Sam got harnessed up, waited his turn. Dan returned to the viewing area so we could get pics and video proof of this milestone. A nice bungy worker named Ren, got Sammer ready to jump, all clicked in and bungied up. We had our cameras ready, waited holding our breaths. Previous jumpers waited to cheer on the Crazy Canadian kid. Then the tears came.
We watched as Sam wiped his face, shook his head and retreated away from the edge. Ren kept his arm around him and tried to coax him into doing the deed. Dan couldn"t take it anymore and ran back to offer some support. By the time Dano got to him he was in full cry, very adamant that he was not jumping. As both Sam and Dan made their way back to the viewing deck James was not sure what to think. At that point I took over. Perhaps my approach was not gentle and comforting, but it worked. Phrases like, "I know you are afraid, but get your head around this because you ARE doing this"....and "courage is when you are afraid of something and you fight through the fear and do what scares you"...and perhaps, "stop crying and suck it up!!!" (not proud of that one) After a few minutes Sam announces, "FINE, let's do this!" And with the force of the world behind him, he and I trudge our way out to Ren who is waiting for us. Sam maturely and clearly asked him if he can bungy swing instead of bungy jump. Ren says, "Of course, mate." Sam gets harnessed up, asks 150 questions, gets lowered into position, pleads with Ren to bring him back up to the platform, yells at Ren some more, offers Ren his allowance to bring him back up... and after 4 minutes of failed negotiations Ren tricks Sam into pulling the red cord (to bring yourself back up to the platform...) and Sam launches into full plummet. Everyone, viewers, workers, Ren, Me, Dan and Sam was silent for the first few seconds...the snow was so thick that Sam swung into darkness and blizzard conditions. When he was completely out of view we heard a "Whoo Hoo" and then everyone cheered. HE DID IT!!!!! I felt like crying for the little man, he was enjoying that what scared him. For the next few minutes strangers cheered for him, workers called to him, Dano and I hollered to him, James stood looking with wide eyes. Ren made his peace with Sammer for tricking him into pulling the pin, Sam was cold but glad he did it. He thanked Ren in the end. Dano and I are so proud of our boy! Enjoy the video, it is 7 minutes long but let it load, it is worth it. The audio is from a microphone in the bungy pod so it doesn't catch the negotiating between Ren and Sammer.
Until next time,
Samantha