Going Solo...

As most of you know... my husband is a Navy pilot currently going through an NFO (think Goose) to pilot (think Maverick, or Iceman if you prefer) transition...hence, being stationed in Texas right now. Well!! He did his first jet solo today!! I am so proud of him!!! We live close enough to the base where I can see the jets taking off... he let me know via text that he was walking to the jet... so I watched his first solo take off from the backyard!!

I wasn't aware that he was taking off so soon (after a two hour power outage delay), but all of a sudden I heard the engines spool up for takeoff. And (of course) I couldn't find the cotton pickin' camera anywhere! So I was scrambling to take pictures with my camera phone... let the quality of this picture serve as exhibit A. But at least I was able to watch...
It is kind of funny... I'm a student pilot (I think I'll be a student pilot forever haha) and have soloed a plane myself before(a Cessna, nothing near as cool as Jon's jet)... so I completely know what it is like to be in the cockpit, alone, for the first time. Yes, Jon has soloed other planes before... but this was his first time alone in "THE JET". I am completely confident in Jon's knowledge and competence as a pilot... and in his ability to fly safely... but I still thought I was going to have a heart attack! haha I was so excited for him (who wouldn't be? he is living his dream)...so proud of him... and scared to death, all at the same time. I'm not usually a big worrier but today I think my level of anxiety merited breathing into a paper bag. ;)

Flying, Flying, Flying!

And yes, he landed safely. Because he is a champ!

I made him pose for a picture as soon as he walked through the door... such a milestone for him! Did I mention that I am so proud?? ;)

This is the jet he flies... Ella (my neice and future pilot) is posing by it... taken when the Fanzo's came for a visit a few months ago.

And here we are by the runway during that visit.

So, to celebrate... Jon had two choices: The Sirloin Stockade (haha) or a baseball game. Guess which one he picked.

So here we are at the baseball game (I bet you guessed Sirloin Stockade, didn't you?).
The Corpus Christi Hooks... a minor baseball league....was having a Freaky Friday Spooktacular... I'm assuming because of the full moon. Everything was Halloween themed (nothing wrong with that!) including people dressed in costumes (again, nothing wrong with that). You guys KNOW how much a LOVE Halloween! Take a look at the moon above! It was the perfect Halloween moon... in May! I zoomed in to take a picture of the moon.

And then zoomed in to take a picture of Jon.

And here is Jon not amused. haha

And here Jon IS delighted... he is at a baseball game. And I am delighted because they are playing the Monster Mash. And Thriller. And some fiddle music that was neither appropriate nor fitting with the spooky theme...but it still delighted me.

And the full moon kept rising! And! The Hooks won. AND!!!! There was a post-game fireworks show to boot!

Not quite this spectacular... but who am I to complain? The wind was blowing at a steady 30 mph with gusts and the show still went on! haha I was certain I was going to see a spectacular disaster... something was sure to catch on fire! To my partial dismay and partial relief... I cannot report a firework gone awry.

But for now, I must go pack... leaving for California tomorrow and I haven't even pulled out the suitcase. Typical me.