6's and T's

Well... I have a lot of catching up to do on our lives.  I've kind of viewed this blog as a sort of family newsletter, or family journal.  I've recently thought more about adding some personal thoughts and ideas to my writing as well.  I've done a couple of those posts.  But as far as the family updates go... It's been awhile.

Today's update is brought to you by the letter T and the number 6.

1.  6 = The number of months since I wrote our last family update.

2.  T = Ty.  Ty is Terrific.  Speaking of T's and six's and Ty being terrific....

3.  T-6 = The airplane Ty flew for the phase of his training that he completed last week.

4.  6 = The number of months that he flew that plane.

5.  6 = The number of months Ty will spend in the next phase of his training.

6.  T = T-1, the plane Ty will be flying for the next phase of his training.

Ty receiving his assignment to the T-1 yesterday.

The T-1 is a trainer plane designed to prepare pilots to fly large aircraft, such as tankers, cargo, or intelligence planes.  I am so very proud of him and the road he has taken to get to this point.  Pilot training is an extremely intense program.  Student pilots usually work about 12 hours per day, and then are expected to spend several hours studying outside of work.  Many seasoned pilots say that pilot training was the most difficult year of their careers.  Squadron leadership has personally told me that they purposely put way more on the students' plates than they can possibly handle.  The program is meant to stretch, and test, and stress, and push them to their limits.  Many have said that the T-6 portion of training is the absolute worst.  Additionally, most of the students are single, some are married, and very few have any kids yet.  Having two kids during pilot training is almost unheard of.  And Ty did it.  And he did it well.

Ty and Afton with a T-6.  He spent over 90 hours flying one of these over the past six months.

Not only has he performed well in his training, he has been an incredible presence in our home. I've heard several fellow students comment to him that they don't know how he does it.  In addition to everything I mentioned before, he plays with his little girls every day. He spends time with me.  He kicks me out the door so I can get a break, when he got up before me in the morning and worked hard all day long.  He did dishes, he made dinners, he did it all.  He was, and is, incredible.

I am so excited for him and this new phase of training.  I am excited to see what the future has in store for us.  In six more months, we'll find out what is next... we could stay here a few more years, we could get sent somewhere else in the U.S., we could get shipped overseas, Ty could be deployed... who knows.  But I am excited.  And I am excited to do it with someone so terrific.

#BecauseOfHim

I feel like I'm just jumping on the bandwagon here, especially because I haven't posted in so long, but it's a good bandwagon to be on.  In fact, my honest hope is that the whole world will jump on this bandwagon in one way or another, and it doesn't have to be via a blog post.  I hope the whole world will come to know the Savior and jump on the "bandwagon" of discipleship by following Him, and by sharing personal witnesses of Him.

In the week preceding Easter, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been putting out some new videos and pictures featuring Jesus Christ and has been sharing this Christ-focused media around the internet, especially via mormon.org. (easter.mormon.org) I love this for two main reasons:

1.  It has encouraged me to be more forward with sharing my testimony of Christ.  That is something I need to do more regularly--I want it to be a part of who I am.  In doing so, I find myself strengthened in my belief and desire to follow Him.

2.  I would hope it is making even more clear that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe in Jesus Christ.  He is the Jesus of the New Testament and the Savior of all mankind.

I want to add my personal witness of Him to the many that have been flooding the internet this week.

He lives.  He loves me.  He loves you.  He has taken upon Himself all that I have and will ever experience--my joys, my weaknesses, my pains, my sorrows, my sins, my heartache.  He's felt it all.  I know I'm never alone.  He is there to comfort me, strengthen me, forgive me... and not only that, but to make me better.

There have been many days in my life when I reflect back at the end of the day and I honestly can't explain how I made it through or accomplished the things that I did.  Well, I can't explain it unless I refer to the Savior.  I didn't have the strength to do some of the things I have done, so He stepped in and helped me... simply because I asked Him to.  He loves me that much.  He'll do it for you too--just try it.

#BecauseOfHim I have hope in the future.  #BecauseOfHim I can make it through today.  #BecauseOfHim I can become a better person tomorrow.

Today is Good Friday.  It is the day we commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  I imagine it would be a very depressing day to have witnessed.  It may have seemed like hope was lost.  But we now know, and celebrate on Easter, that Christ rose from the dead.  He lives again and we will all live again.  We have hope because of and through Him.

Please take a moment to watch this video.  It is only two and a half minutes long, and will be worth every second.

#BecauseOfHim Sunday will come.