Not catch up....reflection

So, time continues to slip through my fingers, and I realized that I'm about three weeks behind in sharing the amazing events that have occurred in this family.  I'm giving myself permission to savor these memories, and not calling this a "catch-up" blog, but a reflection....

My dear brother-in-law, Greg, graduated from pilot training last week after enduring a year of the most intense, challenging, exhilarating challenges the Air Force can dish up.  He flew to new heights and struggled against physical limits for twelve months, and graduated, even garnered the class leadership award, with great celebration.

Due to school schedules and Joe's flying schedule, most of our family had to stay in Phoenix for this celebration, but Joe graciously sent me back to Enid so that I could be there to cheer on my sister and Greg from a front row seat.

We were able to witness a lot of Greg's pilot training adventures because we were stationed at Vance AFB at the same time.  He fought hard against physical limitations and struggled to deal with guttural human reactions to putting the body under such regular stress.  Going through pilot training is like a rite of passage-- the instructors throw emergencies at you, make sure you know how to handle the plane and yourself in the worst-case senario, and give you all the queep jobs in the squadron.  It is tough, grueling training, and most of the time you just live day-to-day conquering one mountain at a time.  But, the end-- the moment when you stand victorious and see all that you have accomplished-- is so sweet and rewarding, it's entirely worth the trials and tribulations.  And, like childbirth, as the years pass, you forget the pain, and just remember all the joy.

The family came out in force for Greg's graduation with both his brothers, sister-in-law (and niece and nephew flying in, his parents, my parents, and me-- there were so many people in town for Greg's graduation that he actually won an award in the squadron for most guests in attendance.  What can I say?  We like a good party!

In amongst all the pomp and circumstance, the dress blue uniforms, the tours of the squadron, the simulator rides, and the class breakfasts, was the beautiful beginning of a new chapter for Greg.  The guest speaker, a general who graduated from pilot training himself 30 years ago, said it best: from now on, everything changes.  As a pilot, Greg will garner respect and recognition for his skills, but he also takes on a great deal of responsibility to execute each and every mission with professionalism, accuracy, and pride.  He joins a long line of proud Americans answering the call to service.  In fact, in a moment of great poignancy, Greg was pinned with the wings his grand-father wore decades earlier. So, Greg moves forward as a proud member of the United States Air Force, a newly winged pilot, and the bearer of his family's tradition and legacy.

And, because pictures are worth a thousand words, here's a glimpse of the great celebration through my eyes....