Jets and Me

Today was the big bi-annual air show at the base. It was fun seeing all the jets up close, especially the ones Nick works on. It's always been a life goal of mine to get my private pilot's license, and now I am so freshly motivated! I totally want to do it. I even went in an F-15 simulator. Bring on the MIGs, baby! Ok, maybe not...
Jack and I went with my friends Kasey and Josh and their twins Chloe and Isabelle and 4-week-old Tyce. Don't worry, all parties involved had plenty of ear protection.

Here we are in the general's private jet. Izzy said to smile big, so we obliged.

Jack's thinking, "I could get used to this."

Izzy and Jack. The twins are quite the baby commandeers.

Kasey is a lot of fun. Her husband Josh served as my bellhop all day, pushing not one but TWO strollers and carrying whatever baby happened to be closest. Thanks, Josh. :-)

Jack climbed his first cargo net inside a C-130 named Christine. The crew chief was eyeing me warily the whole time.

For all you civilians out there, F-15s and 22 Raptors and all the other jets are REALLY REALLY LOUD when they fly by. Check out Jack's stylish ear protection.

As you can tell, those balls of wax work really well. Jack was out after the first couple of passes!

Here's a not-the-best video of a simulated battle. They did a couple of strafing runs, which you can see. The whole time, as they were explaining the capabilities of the jets, I kept thinking how glad I would be if I were Army or Marine and looked up in the sky to see these guys. It's incredible what these planes and pilots can do -- they are SO well trained, and I know how complicated the parts that Nick works on are.

I felt so proud to be an Air Force wife, and so proud of what Nick does. Yes, he's in Guam, not Iraq. And I know these piddly 4.5 months are nothing compared to what Army and MC wives go through. But they're HARD. I've given up a lot of wonderful things -- anniversaries, time with Nick and Jack as a family, companionship, physical help and a mechanical brain, etc. -- when Nick deploys. And I know he's just a little cog in the giant AF wheel. But maybe as a wife, I've given up my husband for a little bit so some other wife on the other side of the world can enjoy her husband for a lifetime.

And I feel better, and stronger, and prouder of my life than I've ever been.