Silver Airways

He did it!  Mark did it!  After three crazy weeks, he was offered a first officer job for Silver Airways.  On September 23rd, he started the adventure with ground school.  He has to learn all the FAA regulations and all the nitty-gritty details about the airplane he will be flying.

I feel like God gave him this job and made the path smooth, but I still get anxious.  Sometimes I worry about the lack of income and the bills that are piling up. (It's a lie that pilots make crazy, good money...  only the really senior captains of big airplanes roll in the dough.)  But when the anxiety starts to creep in, I have to remind myself that God is in control of this and he will work out the details.  He has yet to make us eat dirt and live in a cardboard box; I don't think He will start now.  

I know that we won't see much of Mark in the next few months, but I also know that it will get better as he gets more seniority.  I also know that once he can carry his own insurance, I will effectively get a "raise".  I hope to get to the point that we can live off my income and save his.  Hey! A girl can dream...

Mark also plans on selling his airplane, we have had to put $1500 of fuel bladders into the stupid thing and that is not counting the cost of labor!  Hopefully he is correct and we can sell the thing pretty quickly...  

We don't know where Mark's base will be, he put in his bid today.  It will probably be Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia or Pennsylvania.  How is that for being narrowed down?  I figure he will have to find a crash pad and that is another source of worry.  But again, I know God has it figured out!  We also don't know what his schedule will be and how often he will be able to come home.  I think that will change monthly...  

I just know we are in a transition and God is in charge!!

Onto Bigger and (Hopefully) Better

The end of an era.  Time to move on. When one door closes another one opens. See ya later, alligator.

Whatever cliche you want to use, it fits. The last three weeks have been one, huge source of stress, but God has guided our footsteps each step of the way.

On August 22nd, I called my parents on my way home from work to wish them a happy 49th anniversary and as I was getting out of the car, a wet nose goosed me.  I wondered how Brewster got out of the house and then realized, Mark was home.  Early.  I don't know about you, but if my husband is home early, I only assume one thing and it isn't good news.  Sure enough, he learned that his job position was changing and they wanted to cut his hours by a fourth.  That was the final straw and we felt God telling us it was time to move on.  We talked and had no idea what he was going to do next, but we knew God would provide.  He took that afternoon and the following day off to pray.

That weekend, a dear friend of Mark's told him he would help him get hired at a regional airline.  Rob completely did Mark's resume, cover letter, and had it walked in.  Within two weeks of giving his notice at his old job, he had an interview lined up. In between being asked to interview and actually having the interview, Mark had to take the ATP written exam (no easy test) and get a physical.  There were a few glitches in the process, but God worked them all out - and quickly.

Three weeks to the day, he interviewed and was offered the job!

He reports to ground school the day after my birthday!  The big 4-0.  I love how it all adds up - a new season, a new decade.

I know having Mark work for the airline will be difficult and I won't see him much for the first few years, but being an airline pilot has been off and on his radar for twenty years!  Let's see how it goes...

And God lined the pieces up so nicely...  I am hopeful that we will get into a groove and God will bless us in the new adventure!

The Ways I wish I were like Zach

I was thinking about what I've learned from my kids and what qualities I wish I had.  I think God gives extra things to the people who have bigger obstacles than the rest of us. Zach is intellectually disabled and there are things that he can't do and won't ever do. But there are times that he is perfectly "normal" and logical.  And sometimes he has phrases that are just so age appropriate it makes me smile.  For example, when he is apologizing, he cries, he says he's sorry, he asks for a tissue and has recently added this gem: "I won't ever do it again."  So normal.

Some of the pictures are tiny and I have an explanation for that, but I won't bore you with it.  But here are some of the qualities I need to nurture in myself:

Complete awe and amazement during movies!  He discovered 3D for the first time this summer and it's more fun to watch him try and grab things than it is to actually watch the movie.  He's not afraid to jump up and try to grab the animation.  Such fun...

Know what you like and play with it... Talk about it... And just have fun!  Zach loves 3 things right now: Pirates, Monsters University, and Mermaids.  He talks about them NONSTOP and plays with them every opportunity he has.  

Working out is fun - just don't commit to doing it for too long.  Here he is using a foam roller as a barbell.  He's having a great time and he's not afraid to show the world how I work out.  In fact he's happy to demonstrate it at any time.

Eat what you like!  If you mainly eat apples and bananas, then chocolate won't be a problem!

Don't be afraid to wear your super hero cape!