Life of a Pilots Wife

When Matt and I first met I was intrigued in the idea of dating a pilot. When we moved to Florida so that he could pursue his life as a Professional Pilot, I was honored to be the first to partake in his cross country flight. Soon though, that excitement turned to fear, as I realized I was not cut out for co pilot position. That's right, in the plane, midway between Cedar Key and Daytona Beach is where I proceeded to throw up all over Matt's Abercrombie and Fitch sweater (that he so graciously offered me as a sick bag).

That my friends, was nearly 8 years ago, and also the last time I accepted responsibility of sitting in the cockpit of an airplane...until yesterday. It had been weeks since I had the chance to spend the day with my husband. When he asked if I would ride along with him to pick up some Friends of ours from the Bahamas, I jumped at the idea. In the plane I threw myself and marched straight up to the cockpit and took a seat. Yes, I thought twice about it, but I was there for one reason and one reason only, to spend time with my hubby, and that I couldn't do from the backseat.

Instantly I gained a whole new respect for the career my husband chose. As we prepared for departure I heard this man from air traffic control ramble off some gibberish about altitude, altimeter settings, radio headings blah blah blah. Where I would of had to say, ok, slow down, could you please repeat that, I haven't got a pen and paper in hand, my husband dialed in the appropriate numbers in their appropriate positions amongst the hundreds of instruments and buttons, and then repeated it back to him without batting an eyelash. I was impressed to say the least, and on the other hand... lost, so what do I do, stick my head in a magazine and zone far far away from the moment of take off.

Before I new it, we were 17,000 feet in the air and in the middle of the ocean. Matt and I were chatting away taking pictures and goofing off, all behind the "wheel" of an airplane. I was fine as long as I looked from side to side and not out the front windshield (which was not particularly hard since I couldn't see over the dash). He then tells me we are minutes from landing so I get brave and strain myself to look ahead, bad mistake. In front of me were mountains of clouds. Not those pretty clouds that you lay in a field and configure cute little shapes out of, I mean the ones you take cover from. I guess Matt could see the intense fear stricken expression ( hard to miss), because in a calm and somewhat protective voice he tells me "its ok, I'll just fly through the holes". I felt like Jasmine when Aladdin took her on a magic carpet ride, only thing missing was the words to "A Whole New World".

We got there safe and sound, had enough time to take the golf cart to the Pool Bar for a bite to eat, a quick dip in the Caribbean Sea and off we went back home.

So the point of my story... solely to brag about my husband. Yes he does have a great job that has become his sole priority, but he is also the hardest working man I know. He takes peoples lives into his hands every day and never fails to bring them home safely.

Lord I ask that you protect my husband as he soars with the eagles and is guided through the holes of heaven. Thank you for giving me the Life of this Pilots Wife.