Strike Fighter Ball 2013

On Friday Nate and I attended the annual Strike Fighter Ball. As always it was a total blast!  Naval Aviators know how to throw a fun party that's for sure!  It's quite the event from start to finish, lots of traditions, comradarie, and shenanigans! These pics are just a few from before hand to document that I actually got dressed up and did my hair for once.

Having some pre "Pilot Prom" fun with the Porratas!

Last Flight

On Friday morning the girls and I headed up to Naval Air Station Oceana to see Nate after his last flight with VFA-106. We often see the planes flying while driving around town, but it's been a long time since we've been to the base to see the jets up close. Aubrey loved looking at them all lined up and seeing all "Daddy's pilots" as she calls them. Reagan just kept pointing saying "Daddy's jet". The duty officer let me talk to Nate on the radio which was fun and we got to see him fly in for the "brake" (how they slow down to land--so cool!). We loved our tour with 106, its crazy to think that Reagan was born after we came to the squadron 2.5 years ago.

Looking at all the jets from the Ready Room. 

It is tradition to "wet down" the pilot on their last flight with a squadron.

 Posing with Daddy after touching the jet. She was so excited about that!

We are so proud of our Daddy! Off to our next adventure, more on that soon!

So about 3 minutes after this picture was taken we were walking back inside talking with Nate's Skipper (aka the boss). I was wearing high wedge shoes holding Reagan, my camera and a big bag when the next thing I knew I stepped in a padeye and was face down on the cement flight line! I have never fallen so hard in my life, it was quite the event! I protected poor Reagan but my knee and elbow took the brunt of the fall. I think my camera is still functional but I was so mortified. Its a day I will always remember for many reasons, ha!)

Deployment Days

A few days ago, a friend asked for some pictures of Nate on his deployment for a military appreciation project she is working on. It got me thinking back to those deployment days, which now seem like the distant past, but were only 5 months ago. It was our first deployment and I will be honest, it was really hard. What made it bearable was the support I received from our squadron's spouse club and many close friends I have met thru flight school. These ladies amaze me every day and I am proud to call them my Navy family. I also kept busy with my former job at USAA and of course Aubrey growing inside of me! I was able to go visit Nate at one of his port calls in Dubai, UAE, so that broke up the 7 1/2 month deployment and gave us something to look forward to.

I love being part of this extraordinary group of people. Here are a few pics from Nate's deployment.

"Stray" in the jet

"Stray" on the flight deck of the Theodore Roosevelt transiting the Straights of Gibralter

Flying into A-stan

Refueling on the Tanker

Dubai

I couldn't resist including this picture. I will never forget when we found out Aubrey was a girl in Dubai!