I'm so smart I fell off a cliff.

Yep, you read that right.

One week ago today, I fell off a cliff. 

Let me tell ya, that line has been great! 

"Hey, I'm not coming into work today.. I sort of fell off a cliff yesterday and can't drive."

TAKE AS LONG AS YOU NEED

*running behind* "Sorry, I'm moving a little slower this morning. I'm just a little sore. Why? Oh, I fell off a cliff the other day!"

INSTANT FORGIVENESS.

"Hey I need to suspend my gym membership and not pay for a couple months. I tore open my arms and legs when I fell off a cliff. Do I need a doctor's note?"

NOPE. One look at me, and "No, you're good! Let me know if you can come back in sooner than two months and I'll activate your key card. Get better!" EASY AS THAT.

But I digress...

With as much fun as that card has been to play this week, I suppose it's time to tell everyone the full story:

My best friend's family was in town, and several of us went hiking to my favorite waterfall to go swimming. Everything was fine, and we were all excited. We hadn't been there long, but the laughter was instantaneous. I stopped at the top of the waterfall to see everyone and smile. BUT THEN, I decided to find a new way down around the waterfall instead of safely backtrack and follow the trail (genius, right?). All was good until the ground fell out from under me and I lost grip of a branch.... dropping/sliding ten feet off the cliff. 

Those who saw it yelled to announce it. My dad and husband came running, "Stop moving! Sit here! Stop moving your hand like that, you're bleeding everywhere!" 

My best friend is by my side, assessing damage and taking my ruined shorts. (I was in swimsuit bottoms still.)

"That was so stupid! Are you okay? Is anything broken? How are you feeling? Answer me!" 

They make me sit as shock sets in.

"She's white as a sheet. Selah, stop trying to move!"

My little brother provides elastic bandages and supplies from his handy "survival bag". Everyone else stays back, prepared to jump in at a moment's notice.

"All the guys over here, we need to get her down!"

Soooo yeah. We all hiked the uphill mile back to the truck and SUV, taking breaks when needed. I was mostly disappointed that I ruined the trip for everybody but they refused to even think of it like that. Several hours of cleaning cuts and blood and inch-deep gashes later, everyone took a deep breath and was relieved nothing worse happened as we said our goodbyes and crawled into our beds.

The end result? 

On the side of my right wrist, I have several slices fused shut, then wrapped with gauze and elastic bandaged, and secured with a brace. The brace will be worn until the skin is 100% healed, which is happening quicker than anticipated!

From my left tricep to the front of my arm past my elbow, a long deep cut was opened, though now covered and is healing. Until then, I can't lift it above shoulder height.

My left leg is sliced and the worst of it is bandaged well, though the bandages should be all off soon!

Various bruises cover the left side of my body, but the right is almost perfectly fine!

Like I said, it's been a week, and a long one at that. Looking back, I am super grateful for how everything played out. I easily could have hit my head and died if it weren't for the grace of God. 

I know I have a flair for the dramatic when telling a story, but there's no drama in that statement. 

Like, for real guys. God is amazing. I made a stupid decision and that could have been worse. It took awhile for the adrenaline to wear off and for that depth to hit me. Once it did, worship spewed from my lips in prayer and thankfulness. I thanked God for both a miraculous ending, and an amazing family (both blood related and not) to help me out.

On that note,

I'd like to publicly give a HUGE thanks to:

• all the guys there, who got me off the rocks safely (y'all are STRONG)
• My best friend, who laughed at my jokes and kept me from getting staph infection (I would have jumped into the creek to clean off). Also, for holding it together until the end, and saying "I love you" every time you had to hurt me while cleaning my wounds.
• Momma Larz, a wonderful nurse who gave the best treatment possible, saving me thousands of dollars at an ER, along with my Mom, who scrubbed me until I bled (in a good way). And my parents again for checking in on me tonight!
• My sisters: one who washed my hair and stayed with me the first day to make sure I didn't do anything stupid, (AND got the stains out of my favorite white shorts!!), and another who came to work with me so I didn't have to struggle. The little ones, too, who were careful to give small hugs and then stay away, also keeping the animals out of the way. You two were a big help!
• My dad, who was just there, brought food, and paid for most of the supplies and made several trips to Walgreens with Mr. Larz.
• All my friends who answered my calls and gave great advice, even if I didn't take all of it!
• My super sweet in-laws, who sent me flowers as soon as they heard! 

This super long post is truly dedicated to my AMAZING husband, though. I think that of everyone, he might have been scared almost as bad, if not worse than, my parents.

If this doesn't show his unconditional love though, I don't know what will: 

He first forgave me for scaring the life out of him and has taken THE BEST care of me through this whole thing. (Even banished me to the couch the first couple days while he was at work.) His love and patience have been ever - present this week, down to the little things. Travis has had to help me with everything from taking a shower to getting dressed to doing extra housework to treating wounds and changing my wraps every night, without a single complaint. 

Y'all, he's a Rockstar, and has made me feel like the luckiest girl in the universe. Literally he's the best. So publicly, I want to say thank you for being more incredible than I give you credit for!

What have I learned? 

A few things to pass on:

1) You don't need to be a trailblazer. Wisdom says going rogue isn't always the best solution, and the path is there for a reason. Loved ones would rather you alive and well than dead with a good story.

2) Get yourself an amazing support system! Family or not, everyone needs a strong group of people around them to literally pick you out of the mud and rubble and carry you home. Life is too short to go it alone!

3) Don't settle for a man who treats you any less than Jesus would - and that means unconditional, unselfish, pure love. This whole ordeal has left me more in love with my husband, and thankful that God put him in my life. Find someone who will be there for you in the hard times and good, loving you even when you're an idiot.

4) Laugh at yourself. Seriously. The number one thing that got me through this with a positive attitude was keeping a sense of humor. Even though at first it made some a little upset, (sorry, y'all!) the ability to laugh helped ease the pain and keep my mind in the right headspace. I would like to think it helped everyone else a little bit, too. Negativity is no fun and the stress does NO ONE any good. 

Annnnddd yes. I promise to take less risks.

Don't be shy - If this message has impacted you in any way, let me know! 

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