28 May 2010

Portland Rain, 4:45am and 19 weeks...




If it is a Saturday morning you will probably see my hubby with his head in the clouds literally! Each Saturday, my hubby is diligently flying and honing his skills as he is preparing for our Mission Aviation Fellowship Technical Evaluation in October. During the week nights I find with his nose in Far Aim in order to keep sharp with his technical flight information. I have learned that is not time to chat and catch up, he is focused to say the least. I am so proud of my hubby as he pours his heart into preparing for our eval. And another perk is that I learn flight factoids along the way. Like the phrase “Three 152’s”. It is the phrase pilots use to remember cloud clearance limits. A pilot must be able to see for 3 miles, be 1000 feet above the clouds, be 500 feet below the clouds or be 2,000 feet away from clouds beside the plane… That only a bit of the wealth of knowledge I am learning on the path to becoming a pilot (or just a pilot’s wife)!
On the home front… We have had just a few unexpected events lately. One we just found out this week was that our rent was sky-rocketing come July. So, we have started the missions’ mentality of packing up and moving a bit earlier than expected. We are praying for God’s perfect fit for our new home as this move will be the last move before we pack our bags to go overseas. It has been fun preparing to move! I have been “down-sizing” and “craigslisting” our home. And yes the motorcycle is Will’s contribution to Craigslist (as pictured)! I have a few too many things: For example, I don’t think stilettos will work too well in the jungle.  God has allowed for some amazing opportunities to share HIS love… I have been able to share God’s eternal life and heavenly treasures with the people I am selling my earthly possessions to. It is wild the doors God opens when you let HIM work.
Here is a snapshot of our lives as of late: Our days begin at 4:45am to lift and run (and yes, 4:45am is not a typo btw), eat breakfast, spend time in the Word and then I drop Will off at work by 7:30am. He is working as an A&P mechanic honing his skills each day. Whew… Then my whirlwind continues as I go home to open my laptop and work on Port Kids Projects. I get to develop ways to introduce kids to the heartbeat of Christ in creative manners. This is my part-time (full-time) job which I adore! I tend to work for a few hours and then run to meeting a Port Kids volunteer for java, clean a home or run errands. God has opened up an opportunity for me to clean at least one or two homes a week which helps immeasurable in paying for our flying. Cleaning money directly goes into the “flight training fund”. And for all of you who are not yet aviation savvy… To fly an airplane “wet” (filled with fuel) costs $149/hr! So, Will’s flight preparation is a pricy thing for 1.5-2 hours a week. But, we are moving forward as WE KNOW with certainty that it is where God is directing our lives. So, Will has to be in the air more often than not. I think he would choose to fly instead of walk most days if he could. He was born to fly NO QUESTION! Then I get to pick up my hubby at 5 ish each evening… We have dinner, study and then go to bed by… well let’s just say early 
So, dear family and friends this is a glimpse into our lives as of late. We are loving life and learning how to serve God in our marriage, church and everyday life. God is good and continuously provides for our needs each day.
Oh, and 19 weeks until our evaluation… The clock is tickin’

GONE FLYING,

Love, Will and Nan Jane