Friends in High Places

Before I post about Mark's 40th and Halloween, I HAVE to share an amazing experience we had last week. In the past year, God has blessed us with a growing friendship with an Air Force couple. Christi was in my BSF group last year, and I began praying for her husband Tim before I'd even met him, as he was over in Afghanistan at the time. He pilots the B1 bombers stationed at the base here. When he safely returned, we all got together a few times, and, as they say, the rest is history.

So last week, he gave us a personal tour of the base - and better yet, the $300,000,000 machines he flies. We finished off the evening standing ON THE RUNWAY, watching 3 of them take off.

Oh my word.

There really aren't words to explain the experience. The ground shakes, your whole body - even your insides - shake. It's just breathtaking.

And it needs to go on your bucket list.

I'll remember it forever.

Here we are in the "van" that we took out to the flight line.
Living out here in the Black Hills, we've often watched in awe at flyovers at the fair, the rodeo, etc. So getting this close to one of these was amazing.

Here we are underneath - they only allow certain pictures in this vicinity. What you are able to see here is one of the bays that hold the bombs - where those flaps are open. We also got to see bombs (in 2 sizes!), but I didn't get pictures of them.

Ladder going up into the cockpit.

And the boys didn't need to be asked twice to head on up -

See Jack peeking out? Tim was so unbelievably patient with them - he allowed them to sit in the pilots' seats, explained the controls and answered all of their questions. They were up there for a LONG time. :)

Meanwhile, I took pictures.

The sun was setting, which made the view spectacular.

We got our cockpit tour then, too. And let me tell you, those guys aren't sitting in the lap of luxury up there. Holy cow, it's CRAMPED. Tiny little space. Tim said his longest flight to date is 16 hours. I would have succumbed to claustrophobia at hour 2. Noah was a tad bit mortified that there was a toilet up against the back of a pilot seat. With no curtains or walls. :)

Stinkin' PROUD to be Americans . . . .

The next day, Jack and Noah made thank you cards for Tim. Here's a quote from Noah's: "It was the best time of my life. Seriously." How cute is that??

It was just incredible - it left me in awe of our armed forces - these guys (and women) who give so much to protect our freedom. To see firsthand a small portion of what they are responsible for was inspiring. Can you imagine being responsible for a $300,000,000 aircraft?!

Tim deploys again in January. I'll be posting about it then, asking you to help us cover him and Christi in prayer while he is gone, and in harm's way. The thought makes me shudder.

To Tim - thank you again, so much, for a spectacular evening. And for what you do. We are truly blessed and honored to call you and Christi friends.