Feast or Famine

I guess that can title the post or my life lately. It seems it's an all or nothing type of lifestyle.

Anyway, not that that really has anything to do with anything, it just popped into my head, then down to my fingers and out onto the keyboard. Aren't you blessed? (ha)

We're still sitting here waiting for Young Man to make it home. His is the biggest aviation class in the history of the school. So many, in fact, that young man started flying later in the semester as they had to hire extra teachers. Added to that fact is Texas weather in the spring (ahem!) and you might realize that it was not all peaches and cream for flight time. He's been trying to finish since last Saturday. (Along with many others... they have a special set up for aviation students to live for free on campus for these weeks after the semester ends until they can finish their flight time... guess it's not an uncommon occurence.)

Sadly, although he had a great test for most of it, he missed two items. When I emailed for more info this is what he had to tell me in the return email: "I'm actually getting done in less time than most of the other students. I'm bummed because I was almost there, and then blew it with that one landing. Everything else was good: I had a great pattern, the best checklist use he's seen yet, and I did great in my maneuvers." His problem, if I understand correctly is that he missed a call and landed flat (hard, I think is the actual term) rather than on the back wheels lowering to the front wheels. He's been doing great landings since the beginning. It's just one of those things.

As I've been worrying about the weather and how it affects him I realize this will be a lifelong issue as he flies. He will constantly have to make judgement calls about flights. For instance, in Lesotho there are dirt strips, at a 30 degree angle. Not the most easy of airstrips from which to take off and land. But, they aren't doing practice runs from these strips, instead they're serving thousands by taking in medical supplies and staff, taking patients out, and moving missionaries and their supplies. I'm not sure how they make their decisions. I guess that's something Young Man will learn about when he's over there.

In the meantime, our plans are sort of on hold as we thought he would be home long before now.

In other news Senior Son is doing FABULOUSLY this semester and I'm not sure we could be any more proud, happier, or more pleased parents. It is so wonderful to see your children trust God and act in a befitting manner. We are looking forward to him being back in town and having him over for meals and parties and such... ah yes... the 22nd birthday! I guess we need his menu plan for that one.

We're just about done with co-op for the year. Sadly I've muffed it in a number of areas. I'm trying to end well, but I will need God's grace for one of the classes especially. I need more patience and insight it seems. Next year we've planned differently so this won't be the issue it is this year for either student or teacher, but that doesn't mean that new opportunities won't arise for me to mess up and have to fall back on God's grace yet again. I believe this is all part of the sanctification process for me... this is where the fruit of the spirit needs to come into play.

And finally, I believe we'll be blessed with a visit from my brother and his family come June. YEHAW! (That's what my kids like to say as we drive over a tummy-dropping hilltop.) It's been a LONG time since we saw them last... like a year I believe! So, we're hoping for health and good weather. They're joining us for a family reunion that's not really our family... long long story there, and it should be great. We'll be at a local state park. I LOVE our state parks! Picnic food, outdoors games, scrabble (kind of a tradition), perhaps some horseback riding, hiking, some might brave the cave (not I says the claustrophobe!), and of course swimming. Fun, fun and more fun. Then home in the evening and hopefully time to sit on the deck and watch the kids play in the yard.

Well, this sounds like a Christmas letter or something, but hey, that's what you get. Now I need to go be involved with some schooling.
Shalom,
Kim