August 20, 2019
Christina’s New Semester
This one, like most of my posts lately, is a little bit delayed.
I’m so excited for my eldest though!
She participates actively in Civil Air Patrol – what does that mean? Well, let’s just say my GPS thinks that’s “Work” because other than “Home,” that was the most frequented place when she first joined! She treats CAP like a job. Seriously. She wants to be a pilot someday and CAP has opportunities to help her achieve that goal. When she first joined, she was rather shy and if someone had suggested leadership, she would have laughed.
Now? This young woman exudes confidence (even though she may still be privately terrified), she gives presentations in front of her fellow CAP members (while her mind keeps track of every “uh,” “um,” or “so” to make sure it’s a lower tally than last time), and she served as a Flight Sergeant until she just ranked out. A lieutenant can’t be a flight sergeant. I know maturity and general life experiences help to build self-confidence, leadership, and other such traits, but I credit Christina’s Civil Air Patrol as a major factor in her character formation.
I’m actually sitting in the side seat, typing a blog, while my lieutenant is flying the family van – driving, the wheels were on the ground last time I checked – up to CAP.
For over two weeks, little sisters and brother have been constantly saluting or saying “ma’am” to try to ruffle her feathers. (She keeps saying, “I’m not in uniform and y’all aren’t in CAP!”) She got to fly the cessna again…
I’m smiling because I love watching her grab life by the horns and hold on tight!
We went to Vystar to do some banking chore that she needed my signature for – and the woman didn’t believe she was underage until she actually loaded her account details. I thought, and she isn’t in uniform, you should see her in her AF Blues.
This semester brings newness again: Christina’s got a full load of classes but managed to have them all on two days, she’s got a regular, steady job, she’s participating in Cyber Patriot again, and she’s a cadet lieutenant.
Next semester will bring new changes, but for now, I’m enjoying watching this video of life play out as my independent young woman blossoms.
Type at you next time,
~Nancy Tart