2013 Already?!

Seriously where did 2012 go? We are already days into 2013 and I am still wondering where 2012 went? So much changed this year. I thought I would share with you the holiday letter we sent out this year, the Mr wrote it and I made some additions and revisions...and for those that had difficulty reading the letter due to the small print, sorry it really was only 11 point font! As usual the names have been edited since this is a public blog.

Merry Christmas from Illinois!  This year has been dominated by our June move from California.  It began with a March phone call from my squadron commander asking me if I wanted to move to Scott AFB, Illinois and requalify to fly the C-21A Learjet. He couldn't tell me any specifics except that it would be a summer move. I said that I was interested, but needed to talk to the Mrs first. He said to make it quick before others became interested.  Fifteen minutes later we had an assignment.

The last three months at Travis were filled with as many of the California 'Bucket List' items as we could pack in. We saw whales breaching the water at the Point Reyes Lighthouse. Technically, we saw ONE whale at Point Reyes. Super technically we saw the occasional tail of ONE whale as he meandered around the bay like the Mrs. trying to find a good parking spot at Target.  The ocean was beautiful, the lighthouse was interesting, the air cool and crisp, and the elephant seals made the trip worth it even if the whales were few and far between.

We finally saw Yosemite and had the great fortune of arriving on the day of a solar eclipse. The boys were excited that even in May there was still snow on the ground in mountain valleys. I learned that you shouldn't hike farther into the woods than you are willing to carry a three year old out. Much like the question "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie-Pop", we learned "How many bear warning signs do you have to see before you decide to stay at a hotel instead?" Three. The answer for each is three.

We took the Mrs parents and the boys to Disneyland for one last ride on "Its a Small World". It is a small world, after all, especially when cruising at 500 miles an hour in a KC-10 or C-21 at 40,000 feet watching the fields and towns laid out like a tiny map that doesn't seem even seem real. However, it is not such a small world when you put most of your worldly possessions in a trailer behind your F-150 and drive 55 miles an hour from California to Illinois. US Highway 50 from Nevada to Utah is aptly named "The Loneliest Highway". Cell phone reception disappears 50 miles east of Fallon, NV. 100 mile stretches between towns is common. Your only company is a three year old in the back seat barking orders and your spouse on the other end of a walkie-talkie in the minivan behind you. Thankfully the trip went smoothly. En route we enjoyed Arches National Park in Utah and stayed at a wonderful ski resort in Vail, Colorado. On the long trip I learned that ski resorts are cheap in the summer and Noah learned that it is okay to pee on truck tires in rural areas if there are no cars coming.

Our house was not ready for us in Illinois, so the Mrs and the boys accompanied me to Dallas, TX for three weeks of C-21 simulator training. We hit Branson on the way to Texas. We enjoyed Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede (an unusual but fun piece of revisionist history with great horseback riding stunts) and Silver Dollar City. Check out Silver Dollar City if you get a chance. I think it rivals Disneyland and Busch Gardens for being a great theme park.  

We moved into a house on Scott Air Force Base in August. The Mrs has been working extremely hard decorating, painting, and organizing while I have focused nearly all my energy into relearning an airplane I haven't flown for 6 years well enough to instruct other pilots. The boys have also gotten involved in Soccer and Judo at the Youth Center on base, also keeping the Mrs busy shuttling them to and from activities. M and J had to adjust to a new school and N started half day pre-K.  The Mrs now gets 3.5 hours a day at home totally alone.  I try to call or text regularly because I am sure she misses me. 

We love the new base, we have great neighbors and coworkers, but by far the best is how close we are to Minnesota. At only 550 miles away, we made it home for both the 4th of July and Thanksgiving. Maybe it is a small world after all... so if you find yourself in the St. Louis area and would like to stop by, please give us a call!