Java MaMa is the Boz of this House: Polar Plunge

Hi all you Java followers!!

Wow!! What a rush!!! As most of you that know, I had the Polar Plunge this past weekend. It was something I've had on my bucket list & was ecstatic to do it. I would be lying if I didn't admit I was very nervous. I have heard that people have had heart attacks due to the shock their bodies endure jumping/running into such cold water temps. But, even with a warning from my mom, I decided to charge on, er plunge on. :) I am sooooo glad I did! What a blast! I can't wait to dress up next year & do it all over again! They have costume contests, which I did not know about. A friend of mine, Robin, invited me to join her team & I was so worried, because I had 2 weeks to raise the min of $75 in donations. I hit it day 1! So I upped my goal to $150, hit it about a week later I guess it was, & by the night before the plunge I was $5 short of $300! And I am so happy to say, that as I opened my laptop to blog about my experience, another donation came in! I am at $320!!! Awesome!!! If you wanted to donate, & did not get a chance, you may still go here and make a donation until March 15th I believe.
First off, you all are awesome! Those donations just flew in & I am in awe of the outpour of donations. What an awesome thing to see everyone come together to support the Special Olympics of Illinois. Just amazing!

Second, so here it goes. I am registering in a nice warmed tent by the lake & then we line up. Now there was a lot of alcohol for sale for those that wanted to partake. And there were a lot of folks who had a few too many to drink (especially before noon???). I was already nervous. I could hear my mom in the back of my mind "you know, people have been known to have a heart attack doing this". Thanks mom. LOL. And then, there we are standing in line waiting for our flight to go out & 2 men drag a lady totally unconscious through the crowd. Luckily my friend pointed out that she wasn't even wet yet & that the lady probably was really drunk. OK, good. I'm ok. In my mind, I'm thinking "oh man, I hope mom isn't right". It's our flights turn to go out of the warmth of the dry tent & line up on the boardwalk along the lake front. BRR! A large portion of our lake is still frozen over & from my understanding they were out breaking the ice off the beach Friday before the plunge! They announce that the water is a lovely 35degrees!!! BRRR. Only a couple degrees above freezing! Hello? What am I thinking?! I told Robin, I will do it this once but never again. I also announced that I doubt I make it to the rope. (who am I kidding, like my hubby said. I am stubborn, he knew I would go all the way.) After all, I was stubborn & refused to give in to pain meds with my 3rd child until it was too late to get them. I am tougher than I ever dreamt! They announce our team, we line up along the beach & I choose to go on the side where I can run straight out & the rope isn't as far as for everyone else, but I wasn't thinking about how I had the farthest to go to get across the beach to exit the water! oops. They fired the gun & I ran as fast & as hard as I could into that water & after about waist deep I fell forward because my bottom half sorta came to a halt in the water but my top half was going full speed. I was having a really good hair day so I was trying to keep my hair dry. haha. I also had somewhere to go right after & didn't want to go home & wash & dry it & straighten it all over again. I made it all the way to the rope & lifted it. Then turned & went back. judging by the pictures, I didn't realize how cold it was until I let go of the rope & turned around. I got out of the water as fast as could be. It was so much fun! Such a rush. And I do plan to do it again! Every year if possible!

Here are some pictures from the plunge. Some are from my husband, & the rest from my dad!
Thank you guys for taking pictures!