Carolina Aero Club June 2015 fly in

 

We enjoyed a fly in at our home airport a couple of weekends ago. There was a crowd there and several airplanes flew in. My uncle made barbecue chicken and lots of other good food! 

There was a flyover by a Cherokee. 

We visited our planes. It's tough to fly in when it's at your home airport. 

The most exciting thing we saw was this Quest Kodiak. Zack did a great job modeling the plane. 

Actually, our friend Ben and his two children came to the fly in (not pictured). Holding his new baby was the most exciting part for me! 

I think this was a Cub flying over. 

It was neat to see how short the Kodiak took off, especially for such a big plane. 

We enjoyed visiting with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousin, old friends, and new friends. 

twin comanche flying with my men

Zack and I made a little hop to LHZ for gas a couple of days after he came home. We visited with his/dad's mechanic friends and just relaxed for a bit. 

One of my favorite things about flying is that it takes my mind off of everything else. Flying an airplane uses up about 99% of my concentration, so I can't think about the wedding/moving/work etc. one bit. I used to love it because it took my mind off of boys. Then I fell in love with my flight instructor. Ha! 

Dad did some instrument practice at CTZ and EYF. We were going to have lunch in Elizabethtown, but the car was gone. 

That time I realized I'm marrying my dad . . . 

I outfitted him in Randolph Engineering sunglasses and Collared Greens croakies and shirt. 

We went to LBT for lunch instead and got a tour of my dad's old stomping grounds. 

Remember that time I wore chino shorts every day? That time is also now. 

Usually with my dad and Zack, I have to sit in the back, but this time they let me fly! 

He even let me use his fancy headset! That one little leg wore me out. These guys are so much better at flying than I am. 

I had a great time escaping it all and getting up in the air! I'm hoping we have more time to do this after the wedding! 

thankful Thursday: family and friends

Our family has had the highest highs and the lowest lows this year, and each of those presents an opportunity for our friends to draw close and show their love. I'm thankful for the calls, texts, comments, cards, hugs, and especially prayers. Our friends have truly been there and supported us through it all. As my family connections grow by marriage, the love and the cares have both grown. Even after losing a loved one, the good still outweighs the bad. I'm overwhelmed at the ways my life is enriched by my new family relationships. 

These times are both character building and character revealing, and I'm thankful for my family and friends growing with me and showing up for me in joy and in sorrow. Even the smallest gesture can mean so much. I hope that I learn how to be a better friend by watching my friends. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

our bridal shower

My best friend and next door neighbors threw a coed shower for us in April. It was clear that they put a lot of time and effort into it, which is nothing less than I'd expect from Lindsay. All of the details were so thoughtful! 

They created a photo scavenger hunt with pictures of us, and once all of the blank spaces were filled in on the sheet, it even spelled out a secret phrase about us flying! 

Lindsay's dad made these adorable bride and groom clothespins. 

Lindsay and Tom made us airplane cookies with our initials. How personal and sweet! 

One of my favorite details was the beautiful flowers. 

Thank you, Kelvingtons, for a wonderful shower!!! 

All photos by my pals Lindsay and Tom. 

thankful Thursday: Wesley

We mourn the loss of one of our family. There are still reasons to be thankful. God is still good. 

I'm thankful for Wesley and the (not enough) months I got to know him. He became my brother. I'm thankful that the last time I saw him, I hugged him tight and told him that I love him. I'm thankful for the Lord's grace in that. I'm thankful for the sweet marriage he had with Jessica and for giving us his daughter, our first niece. I can't understand why he is gone, and we may never understand on this side of Heaven. But I'm thankful that Wes is there and we will see him again. Right now, it doesn't seem real. 

We are thankful for family and for friends who support and pray for us. Please continue to lift us up. 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 

Revelation 21:3-4

thankful Thursday: family

I moved out of my office this Monday and took with me some personal decorations that I had put up in years past. This year was so crazy that I only took the time to put up three pictures in my office: a church directory photo of my family from 2006, a church directory photo of my grandparents, and a snapshot of Zack's family at the fair. 

I hope I do the same with my time that I did with my office decorations. Family time is important, especially when I won't be able to have that time so easily soon. I can't go to church with my love on Sundays, so I did the next best thing this Sunday--went with his dad! None of his children made it to church on Sunday (working, etc.), but he had both of his daughters-in-law with him. I think that says a lot about the wonderful family I'm marrying into! I enjoyed spending time with all of my in-laws-to-be this weekend. 

My dad helped me move on Monday, and I'm getting more time to spend with my family now. I can have lunch with my mom, go on walks with my dad, and visit my brother, sister-in-law, and brand new nephew while I'm still living nearby and don't have work taking up my time. What a blessing!!! 

cookie exchange 2014

Torri and I hosted our third annual cookie exchange in early December, and it was a success! Each year we learn a little more about what it takes to host a cookie exchange and make things work well. We grew our number of participants significantly this year, and we loved having our friends join us to kick off the Christmas season! 

A few of our friends stepped in to help quite a bit as we were overwhelmed with cookies this year--so many to label and cut up for samples. We definitely met our goal to grow our cookie exchange! 

Mom's friend Cathy won best tasting cookie, with her Swedish almond cookies (below), and my friend Kristin won prettiest cookie, with her spritz cookies. I don't even have a picture of hers! We always get wrapped up with hosting and forget to take pictures. 

I'm so thankful for our good friends here, and I enjoyed getting to see so many of them in one place. I feel so loved by my friends who take time from their busy December to bake cookies and come to our party. Even though I will be married and moved away by next Christmas, and Torri will have a baby, we are going to do our best to keep this tradition alive!