Winging Weekend

This past weekend we were blessed beyond belief with friends and family from the east coast and midwest to celebrate a landmark in Brian's career: receiving his wings! And, we were especially blessed that amidst flight delays and disgusting weather, everyone made it!

Wednesday began with the *expected* arrival of Brian's Mom. And this is what happened instead:

Avie's flight stopped in Dallas and stayed stopped. A rental car, bad weather and a long drive later, she linked up with my Mom and Step-Dad to drive the rest of the way to Kingsville! They made it just in time for the nice get-to-know-you social at the Officer's club on Thursday afternoon.

By the way, minutes before the arrival of the parents on Thursday, Brian got a call from the Skipper - Watch out west coast, here we come! Lemoore, CA to fly Super Hornets! (Well, Brian will....but we'll all go through the gruel to some extant ;)

Friday, I turned into the delegation Nazi. Due to Piper being a little "off" because of our normal quiet world turned wild, I couldn't do much. So anyone that walked into my door began smashing oreos for dirt cake (Thanks Greg), taking items down to the clubhouse (Thanks Bill), chopping and assembling (Thanks Mom), or cooking and cleaning up (Thanks Avie). Meanwhile, Brian scurried in and out of the house (yes, he scurries) to take people up to the base for a squadron tour and T-45 viewings. It was an awesome madhouse as people showed up from car trips (like my Dad, Tyler and my nephews) and got ready to carpool over to the winging (like Brian's Dad).

The winging was like any other winging except for the fact that the most handsome aviator was getting his wings pinned on by ME. A very sleepy Piper and a very awake heart-thumping me came up to the front to pin on the wings....

Even I got an award! (with the other spouses :)


The evening consisted of Butch's for dinner and then a return to the O'Club for partying!

Saturday...I think just about everyone slept in except for Piper and I. We began cooking and organizing in preparation for the pool party! Pina Coladas, Burgers, chips, cucumber salad, potato salad, duck, ribs, veggies, fruit, cookies, dirt cake....basically a feast of yumminess. Everyone relaxed and basked in each others presence.

That evening, (after cleaning up after the pool), everyone reconvened for lasagna. Everyone as in 14 people around our table inside a tiny little apartment. Like my mom always said, "you'll have the most visitors when you live in your smallest place". Maybe I should live in small places forever because let me tell you, Brian and I felt sooooo blessed to have so many people we love around the same table.

Naturally, we had to document the event with pictures to submit to the Book of World Records...so I ran around to the back slider door to get into the shot. And while I was running back and forth around our apartment complex, I took a moment in the dark silence to think, "Wow, they're all in there...in my house...about to eat a lasagna supper...together" It was cool moment. Then I walked back in the house and it was loud talking and laughing and stories....

Sunday morning, our beloved guests had to leave. I tried to stuff the few faces that were left in Kingsville with quiche and muffins before they hit the road.

Overall, the weekend was awesome. The weather cooperated, the turnout was amazing, and above all - the entire purpose of the event - my husband received his wings due to his hard work and dedication. I am so proud!



(Brian and his John's) :D

Come thou Fount

At the end of Brian's flight training, we were able to go to KC to celebrate Easter and do some baptizing of little Piper!

To get a little theological here, Brian and I always wanted to baptize our baby even though the dispute of baptizing an infant runs controversial in christian circles and even within our own extended family. Here is where I gather the differences in baptism interpretations lie... you can either believe that:

1) baptism is the profession of faith and the mark of the Holy Spirit - so if you aren't old enough to profess it, don't get baptized
2) baptism means that one is receiving the mark of the Holy Spirit and that even if you don't really "get" what's happening while you're young, you have a better chance of becoming a follower of Christ because the Spirit is living within you
Or
3) you get baptized because Jesus said so

The last two interpretations are why Brian and I ultimately decided to baptize our baby. In addition, let's just say that maybe the Spirit doesn't literally "enter in" during baptism - yet, that doesn't dispute the fact that the chances are still very high that a baptized baby will become a believer because the parents are making a profession of faith by stepping forward for the baptism. In a way, it's like marriage. We stand before a group of believers who will hold us accountable in growing in a Christ-like manner. Plus, Pastor Jeff summed it up well at the baptism gathering, "Jesus said to teach and to baptize; in what order specifically, he doesn't say..."

So, Piper was baptized on April 24th which happened to fall on Easter Sunday. (26 years and 3 days after I was baptized!) After all the morning services, an intimate group of family and friends gathered around the baptismal fount and we sang, "Come thou Fount" and then sprinkled some water on Pipers dear little noggin. It was so quiet and reverent that if you thought about it too much...the fact that a group of believers were huddled around a young life hoping and praying that she knows that there's ONE greater than all of us....you could become overwhelmed with emotion.

And speaking of emotion, despite having lost her sister to cancer the night before, my Aunt Linda (wife of my Godfather - who stood next to me when I was originally baptized) made it to the gathering. It all felt so raw that she was dealing with a life loss mixed with the observation of Piper's fresh little life beginning. God is so BIG like that; you can be going along in life and then SMACK - He'll hit you with a moment that shows you the way life works. Life has extreme lows but also extreme highs, but ultimately, He is Good.

And the baptism was SO good.

It was everything we could have asked for and more.
What a wonderful Easter Sunday: He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

And here are some pictures from the big event!
This is my dearest friend Jenna, who grew up with me in Christ Lutheran Church (and well, we continue growing up together :)

gathered around the fount

gathered around the fount with PJ (Pastor Jeff)

The Christ Lutheran music director and building manager - could you believe that I was able to book them at a moments notice!?! hehe (that's my mom and step-dad)

singing

baptizing


lighting of the baptism candle from the paschal candle

baptized!

The baptism crew, minus Jenna's boyfriend, Tray, who took the picture...Thanks, Tray! :) And a special thanks to all who helped make this happen: Mom (the music), Bill (the building), Pastor Jeff (the baptizer) and CLC who made Piper the banner and the baptism certificate with the candle - And thanks to all who attended! We Sullivan's really felt that it was special!

The Biggest Role

A ways back, I watched the Academy Awards. Natalie Portman was up for her role in Black Swan and was being interviewed by all the entertainment stations. She happened to be toting a baby bump underneath her Oscar regalia and told a reporter that she looks forward to playing the biggest role she's ever landed: motherhood.

This role still baffles me. Here's Natalie Portman, actor extraordinaire, and she wants to do what nearly every other women is doing or has done.
Where is the individuality?
The extraordinary?
The independence?
The "you're special and different than anybody else" allure?
Well, that's not motherhood. AND that goes against everything in our American "me" culture.

So how is this role still so amazing? Because it's the closest to Christ I've come. No, my devotions and prayers to God have not been great and my lent goal really sucked. (It wasn't even that hard: I tried reflecting upon a praise song per day during the lenten season and I accidentally stopped after a week) fail. But you come close to Christ in other ways...

When you hold your own little baby, you realize that you won't sleep, won't eat at regular times, and you might even get poo on your hands; You might even have to give up on things you like to do for a little while.... GIVE GIVE GIVE (no wonder I didn't rush into motherhood)...

But then you begin to realize that you don't care about that menial stuff as much as you thought you would

then you get to see a smile
then you see her discovering her hands...and feet
then you see her looking for you
and then you see her reach for YOU

So Natalie - I look forward to seeing you fat and thoroughly happy with the newest little member of your family. I can't really explain the fulfillment in the sacrifice, but so far, it's been worth every second.

Happy Mother's Day to all those incredible Mothers out there - especially one in particular: My MOM! I love you and am so thankful for all you do and continue to do for me.

Piper in the Piper

Brian finished his training in Texas so that meant we got to take a little time to hop a plane to Kansas!
This was Piper's first flight; look at her all ready to go!

It was a little chaotic at first with the hot wind, dogs, juggling a very dirty diaper, and packing our bags in the plane but it wasn't long and we were airborn!

Whenever we changed altitudes I made sure that Piper was eating or sucking on this little paci...whether she wanted to or not....

....and we had to change altitudes a couple times because of this ugly storm.
'Lo and behold, this was a tornadic storm cell producing pure nastiness...yuck - good thing we could dodge that sucker!

Yet, despite the gross weather going up north, we had a great time and our return flight was much smoother...the minor turbulence only served to rock Piper to sleep.

After all, Piper's first trip in the Piper was a success! I think she was quite captivated by the pilot too...

Last Flight in the T-45

Sims, Navs, Fams, Road Rekies, Cq, Weps, Acm....(and whatever other weird code names I'm leaving out) are all DONE! I am so proud of my husband who completed his T-45 training here in Texas a couple weeks ago!

This was my first experience witnessing the celebration that ensues after the completion of flight training...so here's the play by play...
First, the arrival

Then, getting hosed off


Next, getting (soft) winged by the skipper

Then all the winged aviators get in a line to punch the wings on the new naval aviator

This is Brian and Cory...his flight partner for the last portion of training

Gotta grab a pic of the crew of students and aviators on the flight line

Then there was a celebrity sighting on the flight line

I really wanted Piper to greet her Dad after his flight, but I was a little too concerned about the flight noise. Looks like she heard enough just sitting in the squadron...

Lastly, a tribute to the trusty flight vessel - the T-45! (Brian took this pic taken in El Centro during his weps det...)

On to the winging!

The CQ Detachment

Carrier Qualifications have been on everyone's minds for the past couple months and now it's crazy to believe that they're already over! Pert near all the guys came home having completed their mandatory 10 traps (catching the wire on the carrier with their tail hook) and 4 bounces (touch and go's on the carrier deck). Though they all seem like hot shots now, we probably would have seen their lips quivering if monstrous moustaches didn't do such a good job of covering it up. Although, I can't blame them - landing on a very short runway in the middle of the ocean cannot be easy.

All that aside, it was a rough week for the fellas. The guys practiced at an airport with one runway (limiting how many could practice) and dealt with inclement weather for most of the time. However, once the weather cleared, a batch of the guys were off to the boat to attempt something none of them had ever attempted before! Mission accomplished!

Meanwhile, back in Kingsville, the ladies and I worked incessantly on Banner-making and enjoying each others company. Amidst the refilling of our Margarita's we would pool what (little) information our husbands gave us to get a bigger picture on what was going on during the carrier quals. Ultimately, they landed on the carrier!

Firsts

At three months of age, Piper has had her first laugh, first trip to the pool, and now, her first roll over! The laugh and rollover are nearly impossible to catch on camera but we did manage to catch the pool trip.





As for the play-by-play, it was a gorgeous Kingsville Saturday with temperatures in the 80's. Brian sneaked up to the pool a little after us ladies went (he was cleaning the truck, of course) and he brought along freshly made pina coladas! Good man.
Meanwhile, I made sure to slather my daughter with 60+ spf sunscreen, but I kinda forgot about myself...oops. (The green aloe goop and I have been close all week). We tried dipping her feet in the water but she didn't like it (oh, but she will) - the water is still a bit too cold for swimming. Overall, it was a great first pool trip of 2011 and especially, a great first for little miss Piper!

Arts & Crafts continued...

Similar to my St. Patty's day fiasco, I realized we were going to watch some ball at a burger joint and Piper didn't have the proper KU paraphernalia to represent....so I had to throw this little Jayhawk I made on to one of her white onesies. She may have been born in southern Texas but we'll make a Jayhawk outta her!


Welp, gotta watch the Elite 8 - Rock Chalk!

Arts & Crafts at the Sullivan Household

His Craft:
Storage storage storage. For one, we are lacking space. For two, we aren't as organized as we could be with the space we have. Soooooo, the other day, Brian began scheming. His stacks of pubs (flight charts), flight gear, maps, books, wires, paperwork, office supplies and the gorgeous pictures of his family are strewn about our office upstairs, so he is going to construct some shelving. The master plan is that it is mobile, sturdy and useful. We'll worry about the asthetics of it later.


Her Craft:
Piper is in need of some artwork for her future bedroom, (for when we move in a couple months), so I thought I would throw a little something together. It's basically a combination of all the things I love: crafting, sewing, colors, letters, french-learning, fabric, culture, and distinctly Piper - and when I say Piper, I mean that I'm putting things in the pictures that remind me of her and that I hope for her.

Step 1: Get canvas', modge podge and photocopied letters from my French host mom and Frenchie pen pal then glue them on. I did three coats to get a nice glossy finish.

Step 2: Cut out fabric in the things that are distinctly Piper: Piper Cub yellow airplane, brown Piper cub, and the world because we hope she loves traveling and exploring as much as her parents do.

Step 3: Iron/glue on colorful fabric pictures and include French vocabulary.



Not only is this artwork fun but we hope she likes the reflection of her Dad in the airplanes and her Mom in all the french - after all, she is stuck with us!


Little One's Craft:
Piper is currently working on a dookie in her cloth diaper for me to clean in a little bit.