Goodby for a Long While

We've known for a while now that my brother Chris would be deployed to Afganistan sometime this fall.  He is leaving this week for more training in Texas before going overseas late October/early November.  So we made a day trip to Austin yesterday to see him before he leaves.  I'm truly thankful we were able to see him...as he will be gone for a year. 

We meet up with Chris at the small airport just east of Austin where he flies planes every once in a while.  He was taking a friend and his kids up in a 4-seater plane first...and then it was our turn.  Gabriel decided right away, "I not going up...no thank you!" (politely, but firmly!)  But he did consent to pictures in the cockpit. ;-)

And of course, more pictures with everyone else.  It's pretty cool when your brother is a pilot and flies Blackhawk helicopters too. 

David went up first with Joshua and one of Chris' friends, Caleb.  Then it was the girls' turn.  

I was hesitant to go up, mainly because I get motion-sickness.  We've recently discovered Rebecca gets sick too.  But, I knew I had to go with the girls...otherwise they might get nervous.  I remembered I still had medicine (dramamine) in my purse from our vacation last month, so I quickly took some, and gave Rebecca a half dose.  Honestly, it didn't work in time...I took it too late...but I didn't get sick, and neither did Rebecca.  And it didn't help that it was hot in the cockpit with no wiggle room at all (thank goodness I'm not claustrophobic).  It took a good hour for me to feel better once we landed!

I know you all want to see more pictures we took, right?  Here you go... :-)  David took some of them, and I took a few on our respective flights.  It really was fun...my stomach didn't feel good, but it was still exhilarating to be in the air.  We went up about 1500 feet, looped around downtown Austin, and then back around to the airport. 

Back on solid ground (and can I just say the landing was super smooth...my bro is a pro!), we were starving for lunch, and headed to Phil's Icehouse, where we had very tasty (and filling!) mini-burgers, regular-sized burgers, and the best sweet potato fries I've ever had.  We were too full to have dessert at Amy's Ice Cream right next door, so we head up to the Capitol building to walk off the calories.  

I had to get one special picture of Gabriel with his godfather before we left. :-)

The architecture at the Capitol is quite impressive, especially after they did a complete renovation back in '93.  We took one of the public tours, and while the kids were mostly attentive, they did get tired after a while (especially Theresa, who hadn't had her nap yet).  But all in all, the tour was informative, and we finished up with a jaunt through the gift shop.  

Can I just state for the record that I intensely dislike gift shops?  In our family, letting the kids go into a gift shop is like letting 5 bulls loose in a china shop.  It seriously gives me a serious case of mommy nerves.  Yikes!  I wish they'd never been invented!

Once the kids were done (and didn't break anything...whew!), we said our goodbyes to my brother back outside.  I told him I loved him (2x) and told him to be careful (2x), cause I figured as his older sister it was what I was supposed to do.  But no crying...since the kids were there, and I didn't want to bawl in front of them.  I swallowed at least 3 lumps in my throat as we drove away. :-(

Please pray for Chris.  He will be flying medivac missions over in Afganistan, evacuating the wounded and providing some supply transport.  A Blawkhawk is a power helicopter, but has no artillery...so they are vulnerable to enemy fire.  Since they can't fire back at any insurgents, all they can really do is evasive maneuvers, or "run like hell."  But...without a doubt, I am proud of my brother for serving his country, and pray for all of our military personnel fighting overseas.   May they all come home safely.  We love you Chris!