Paintball and Sushi

I finally got the chance to play paintball after 3 long months! Yay! I'm still so excited about playing paintball yesterday that I wish I could go back out today. =D Because I enjoyed the day so much... I'm having a real hard time putting everything into words. I've already done like 2-3 drafts of this post because my brain keeps replaying all the fun that I have no words left! Ummm... that's about 6-7 hours on this one post alone... it's like homework! *tsk tsk*

Saturday, Jan 7, 2012:

Noel and I barely wake up in enough time to grab our gear and stuff everything into the trunk of my car. Running an internal checklist, I count off the many pieces of equipment, clothing, extraneous gear, batteries... did I miss anything? Noel grabbed some stuff and I grabbed others. Ah well... seems like everything accounted for... we'll find out once we need stuff. *sheepish grin*

Arriving at Santa Clara Paintball (SCP), I busily don my gear, pay for paint and chrono the equipment... and best of all, I get to greet many friends I haven't seen in like forever... well, that's what it felt like! Friends who work at SCP, friends who came to play paintball with me, great weather... what more can I ask for?

One of the games I remember most was when we planned for two players to play in the doritos. Midway through the morning, I've figured out that I only have a 25% chance of getting hit if I run straight from the start to the first dorito... and since we're not playing a tournament, the paint that did hit wasn't likely to break. *smirk* I'm already slowing down so I can't afford to take the long route. *wry grin*

Sprinting to the first dorito, I make it with no hits! Okies, next attack point is to the mini dorito. Once there, I get more fire on me and had to tuck in really tight to the little bunker. My teammate, now in the first dorito, drew enough paint for me to get to the dorito 50. Yes!!! Now I get to really shoot people! Closest tower out! heheheheheeee... if I creep to the next mini dorito, my entire opponent's field would be open. Trying to run, I find my foot hooked on a bunker strap. ahhhhhh... I need to move now or I'll get shot! Shaking my tangled leg and clumsily running forward, I make it to the mini dorito. Grrrr... I'm so out of shape that my quads are starting to burn! Left tower is now out... back center is out too. *smirk* Panting, I eventually make it to the last dorito as my teammates and I work together to eliminate our opponents. YAY!!! Snake is now out too! Is that another player in the snake? Out! Anyone left? That's five right? Game!!! Hurray!!!

Even as my quads burn, my speed slows down, and my movements get sloppy... more more!!! I'm not done until my paint starts running out! *wide grin* The snake side was set-up kinda different, but I don't play snake much. Poor snake players. *snicker* I like playing in the doritos, triangular-shaped inflatable bunkers... there were a LOT of doritos this time. Nice!

Only once did I try playing snake... fail! I got immediately to snake 2, then got stuck. The guy playing on the opponent's team this round is nicknamed "Old Guy." *wide grin* Unlike what his nickname says, he's fast and a great shot. Bummer, he never left me enough time where I could crawl to snake 3... I felt totally useless. If I stuck my head up, I'd get shot... if I crawl backwards... I'd have no one to shoot at! *smirk* I'm not used to keeping my head down and not having the ability to look around. Something I've really gotta work on!

To top off the day, I used a friend's beautiful pink and black Ego 11. *drool* I so want one!!! Friends also provided for my admission fee and three of them gifted me with these awesome SCP shirts! *so happy* I'm going to wear these shirts whenever I get my chemo treatments as my reminder of the friends who are waiting for me to come out and play paintball again! I'm going to work my hardest to get back out on the field as soon as possible! I'm told that I likely will be too tired to play paintball while I'm going through chemo treatments... *tearful look* Maybe, just maybe I can??? *praying really hard*

I miss playing paintball with a group where we are all able to laugh at each other and ourselves, have multiple games of 5-on-5, and were also gifted with our own private field where we set our own rules with our own ref. =D Today, I felt soooo spoiled! It makes a huge difference playing with people (in this case all friends so it was sooooooooo much better) who are encouraging, have a positive attitude, willing to call out mistakes, demonstrate integrity, willing to give advice, are playful, and best of all... perfectly happy to shoot me. Yay!!! *happy smile* For all this fun, I got only one bruise, a scraped knee, and a small cut on my finger. Not bad huh? No big bruise or scar to show-off to my friends at work this week. =D

A special thanks goes to my friends at work! Noel and I received a huge gift that allowed us to play paintball this weekend without worrying about the lay-off notice Noel just received on Friday. My co-workers told us to "go have fun before chemo" and almost everyone we love playing paintball with made the time to come! *feeling super happy* I've been wanting to play with everyone again for a long long time... Thanks everyone for taking the time to come play with us on a Saturday!!! Too bad so many of the SCP staff had to work... *wide grin* Woulda been fun to drag everyone out! hehehheeee... I can't complain, I was lucky enough to have a little bit of time with everyone and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

Saturday evening, Noel and I used part of the gift from my friends at work and splurged on a super yummy meal at Sushi Sam's that basically cost us about $4-$5 for each piece of sushi!!! I'd be totally cautious about spending money for extravagances like this night's dinner with the upcoming potential budget cuts to our household spending, but since my friends at work totally provided, I will gladly eat up the yumminess! *drool*

Noel and I got the Omakase (chef's choice)... yummy!!! Each piece of sushi was different in taste, flavor, texture, appearance. *eyes closed dreaming* Halibut, so light with a tinge of soysauce flavoring. Blue shrimp, firm and salty... the fried head with eyes starring at me was kinda disturbing but very flavorful and crunchy! Sockeye salmon, one of the best pieces I've ever eaten, no hint of fishiness, all super smooth and soft in texture. Amberjack, slightly fishy with a firm bite. Horse mackerel, firm texture and strong flavor. Trout... so soft with a clean taste. Freshwater eel, spicey... totally not what I expected. Seared toro, another best with a super soft salty flavor that melts in the mouth. Just writing about this and I want more!

Lord in heaven, thank you for a whole day of fun. Thank you for this time with friends. Thank you for the encouragement, strength, and motivation I receive that keeps me going. Thank you, Lord, that you use the family and friends around us to bless Noel and I with the opportunity to play paintball (my muscles still feel a light ache) and eat a super mouth-watering dinner of sushi. *still totally drooling*

Right now, even as I nervously anticipate my upcoming chemotherapy session, face Noel's upcoming job loss, deal with having to turn on/off our main water supply at home due to a leak... I rejoice because I have an all-powerful God who has already provided in many crazy ways and situations.

Lord God, thank you for the knowledge that I don't need to be the one in control... I don't have the power to change my cancer, provide Noel with a job, or magically fix the water leak. However, you God, can. But God, because of the circumstances I find myself in, I can see how many people care for Noel and I.

Thank you, Lord, for this joy that comes not from the challenges I face, but from this proven belief that you will always provide.

In Jesus' name, I praise my Father in heaven for showing me what a good life I have, amen.