it's tradition

Jake is a pilot.

Or, I guess, as of last night, he WAS a pilot.

I don't know how it works.

What I do know is that every time a pilot (or maybe any flyer?) has a final flight on an air craft they've been assigned to, he/she gets celebrated by getting doused with water, champagne and/or dunked in a tank of water.

the significance?? nope. none. it's just super fun!

so.

last night was Jake's 'fini flight' in the RC-135.

He got to fly with some of his favorite people, he got to fly the flag ship of the Wing (the General's plane), and I got to be the one, for the first time, to douse him with water!!!!

I guess the tradition at Offutt is to use a fire hydrant - eeekkk -

I was nice.

I was not nice at our wedding with the cake and have felt bad about it ever since ;-).

So, I was nice, enough, here.

He had a great flight.

We got to go out on the flight line, that was my first time.

Yes, we've been here five years but it's not exactly like you just step out on the flight line.

We had to be scheduled to be out there, have an escort and most of our time was spent sitting in the back of a van.

BUT IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!

I'm a very proud wife.

I feel honored to be a part of this nations freedom.

I LOVE that Jake's job is so closely and tangibly connected with that.

So, when that plane landed right in front of us, and then circled around to taxi it's way home, I lost it.

Tears a streamin'.

I was angry (that plane = lots of deployments apart),

I was sad (what a cool part of his job he has to leave behind),

I was proud (seriously, it was worse than when God Bless America comes on)

I was scared (we've been 'doing this' for 10 years now, the next step, even if it's good, is an unknown....and we all know about those unknowns!)

The girls loved every intsy tinsy little second.

Jake did a couple of touch and goes and we were SOOO close.

Squeals, giggles, again, they LOVED it!

Seriously, how many kids get to see their daddy's land and take off in an airplane that HE is flying!??

(and because I knew what time his take off was earlier that day, we saw him taking off too!)

Oh man, they loved it!

Jake?

He was just enjoying the ride.

He had a great day.

He loved that it was something final.

He's a dude ;-).

HE LOVED SEEING US DOWN ON THE RUNWAY from his seat up front!!!!

I think that was his favorite part.

ok.

technically, no pictures are allowed on the runway.

bad for keeping secrets from the other guys!

but, that isn't going to stop this girl ;-)

there is no flash, so the picture is labeled.

and if you are a military 'person' and see something I need to hide, please tell me!!!!

I don't mind being rebellious as long as I'm not being stupid!