I'm back, and the traveling pendant has been busy!

I'm back! Whew...what a month!! I am not entirely sure if I am capable of making a whole lot of sense "yet", but I am going to back up to April 18 and share a small adventure I had with a friend of mine thanks to some other friends.

A few years ago I invited the national guard to work at one of my fundraising events and ever since we have really become buddies. They are top notch, first class all the way and I am proud to call all of them my friends.

Over time I have also had the honor and privilege to tour our base and take a ride in a black hawk helicopter. Not only was it fun, but I learned a whole lot about the guard, their role and a lot of what they do, or at least what our base does. Pretty amazing stuff and I was rather humbled by my experience. I could not believe that I lived next door to this base my entire life and had NO clue what went on there. I would see the planes fly over or parked on the base... never knowing what their role was or the people who took care of them.

This past April I was given the chance to have another experience with them on what is called a BossLift on a C-130. But it was more than just taking a ride. I got to learn about how they work with local employers and guardsmen on trying to get them jobs, keep their jobs and help employers understand their roles/jobs in the guard better. The more I learn the more respect and admiration I have for these fine men and women in uniform.

My ride this past April. Not to shabby.

Sooooooo, we showed up at the air base on 18th and had an introduction with a major general and some other nifty folks and were taken on a tour of the base. We got to have lunch in the chow hall with the other military persons working that day and we were then taken to a hanger where we were processed and prepared for our flight. It took me about an hour to go through the metal detector with all of my bracelets and jewelry and I left my earrings in the x-ray machine, BUT we managed to get me ready and safely on board!

All aboard!

We got in and it is basically a cargo plane with very sparse accommodations for passengers, but all of the essentials. The seats are the best, and after taking off...they really came in handy. You take off in a c-130 like a rocket...not like in a commercial airline where it is nice a slow and smooth. Oh no...these boys mean business and getting off the ground in a hurry is a must. I called the seats the "oh shit handles" because as you take off you end up saying "OH SHIT" while holding on. Pardon the colorful use of metaphors....but I am writing it like it was. It was pretty exciting!!!

This kind of seating is critical on a c-130 flight!

About mid-way through the flight I was invited up into the cockpit to visit the pilots and take a peek out the window. My friend Immanuel, who came along with me for the day, and I went up together for a visit and it was incredible! The view was just astounding and breathtaking! The pilots were very gracious and at only 3500 feet you are able to make out most land marks and I knew exactly were I was. Right over my in-laws! Hehehe.

Me peeking out the window in the cockpit at 3500 feet. The pilots were so super cool!

My view from the cockpit. Hi Mom! Hi Dad!

I stuck my hand through a net and into a small window and got this picture of the planes propellers. No, they didn't break-up...every picture I tried to get came out like this. Isn't that wicked cool looking?

Apparently a flash in dark quarters does not work very well on me if I want to keep features on my face! However, look at that pendant...you wish you had a pendant that magnificent!

As you can see I was on happy girl while taking a casual flight with some of my friends. You can also see that the traveling pendant had a good day too! To learn more about the traveling pendant you can go here, or here.

This was a big move for me as I had not been on a plane since I was stuck in Florida 1500 miles away from home on 9/11. I was to fly home that day...needless to say I had to find a new way home and was separated from my very young boys for an additional 5 days. So thank you to my buddies at the National Guard for giving me the safest flight in my life and helping me get over a huge anxiety of mine!

For an article in my local paper on the actual flight I took, click here.

Coming up...
Etsy Artians Dancing Mooney, Moaning Minnie, and stories from my fundraiser and a weekend at the races!