We were all so grateful for an invitation back to the boom. The boom operator was very welcoming to all the questions that were fired her way.
My girls were as mesmerized as my boys.
Keeping busy and occupied. We also had book time when reading was expected. Once I get those boys reading they are good to go!
One of the side windows frames the wing and the sky. I only took 503 pictures to get two I really liked. We have a new camera and it's going to take some practice.
Dear family and friends,
HOWDY…I’ve never written while in the air. Of course today has already been filled with things I’ve never done before. I’ve never been up in a KC 135. I’ve never travelled to Guam. I’ve never had a picnic with my boys on the floor of an airplane.
Military travel is quite a different ride in so many facets. We started trying to get out Saturday although there were two planes we passed up that we could have attempted to get out on. For me, military travel is filled with prayer, learning to trust my amazing travel agent, hurry up and wait, realigning expectations, and holding on for a wild ride.
The last few days have certainly had ups and downs. We’ve planned and cancelled several trips. One due to my sweet husbands wisdom, one due to lack of peace, and one cancelled two hours before we were heading to the terminal. DEFINITELY an exercise in trusting God to be the one in control and not the Air Force.
Last night I repacked for the third time. I was trying to be cheerful and was greatly encouraged when a 14 year old boy, our 14 year old boy to be exact, chimed in, “Wow mom, this is your third time to pack for this trip and we haven’t gone anywhere yet…THANK YOU!” A thank you sure can go a long way. God knew I needed a little encouragement just at that moment. You don’t need as many winter clothes when you go to Guam. Less winter, a little summer…bathing suits, night clothes (two sets now for winter/summer), short sleeve shirts, and running shoes all at the top of one bag so we don’t have to dig through the other.
Oh and you should see, or should I say, pick up my green aloha LL Bean rolling duffel. We have to have school with us as we don’t know how long we’ll be where and if we get stuck we’re going to do school. Books are heavy. I would call this a field trip more than a vacation. Although we’ll make sure a little vacation is tucked in there.
I digress, military travel is where I was at I believe. Box lunches filled with goodies that this mother doesn’t buy are also a treat. You just can’t beat it for $4.25. We laugh every time that some man is slapping those sandwiches together as you’ve never seen so much meat on one sandwich. I ended up with roast beef and BBQ chips which are my favorite as far as sandwiches go. I had to pull off the cheese, throw away a piece of the bread, and whittle down the meat before I could start though.
Travelling out of season is a benefit as the children are the children on this mission. ALWAYS a learning opportunity you know. The boys were ecstatic to be up in the cockpit for take off and the girls are looking forward to their invitation for landing. They’ve also spent fifteen minutes on their tummies learning all about refueling and lowering that boom. What a GREAT way to see God’s creation of sky. His vastness of space amazes me just looking out a side window, but seeing the sky behind you stretched across as far as the eye could see was breathtaking.
I love that you can’t visit too much with anyone. Is that a strange thing to be on my list? We all wear hearing protection so you can’t talk too much. It can be pretty noisy up here. It’s the difference of sitting at a park with a few people around or at a Texas A&M football game with the 12th man going wild. The children settle themselves down to reading, knitting, stories, and music while I have a quiet moment to myself. Almost a day off to do whatever I’ve planned. I have a bag of reading, I’m writing, I’ve listened to a sermon, and spent sweet moments with Jesus. You can sing to Jesus right out loud and no one even hears you.
I’m sitting by the window so I can see. There are only four side windows on the entire plane. The dark is coveted too as there are many sleeping soldiers nestled down in sleeping bags. We brought one of our own this time and didn’t even know until we got on that it has an inside liner that pops out really creating two. It was borrowed from a neighbor. God providing in abundance, as always.
A crew member just came up to the window (door with a window) and starting pulling at the insulation. Before I knew what he was doing (I have to choose to not think about being sucked out of one of these doors so I was a little wide eyed) he pulled out two soda cans that he’d tucked up their earlier. When he saw me staring in wonder he put the can up to my arm-ice cold.
There’s much more heat up in this KC 135 than the C 17 we flew on to New Zealand. I came prepared. It’s funny to be heading to Guam with everyone carrying a winter coat. I truly feel very confused by the weather differentiations that are coming our way.
I hope to keep you posted as to wherever we may go. God reminded me clearly this morning that this trip is about Him…where He wants us to go, what He wants us to do, how He wants to work in our hearts and lives, and whoever we get to love along the way. I feel like I’m flying first class with my travel agent right at my side. What a way to travel…who really needs much heat this high up anyway!
Love to you all…
In Him,
Dinah for The Troops
