Tag: flying

Keep Flying High!

November 28, 2020

Keep Flying High!

Remember how we did a tour at Embry-Riddle University back in January? Christina told the tour guide that she was going there. She’s spent years dreaming of it. She’s focused all of her college classes at St Johns River College toward the basic degree requirements at Embry-Riddle. Her entire track since her freshman courses of Algebra has led toward her goal of Aeronautical Science with Flight. She wants to fly. She wants to go to what (according to her) is the best university for flight careers.

Well…

Today, I was taking stuff to the sink, and said, “Hey, there’s a box outside the gate that says Guess What? want to go get it?”

Christina screams “WHAATTT?” and jumps outside to grab it. I first thought oh, they ordered some Christmas present from Guess. But as I leaned out and yelled through the screen, “grab the rest of the mail while you’re out there, please?” I noticed the colors. Blue and Gold. Embry.

Christina had been finishing her application months ago, worried that we moved during her application process, worried that the address on her Transcript didn’t match the new address for mail, worried that her scores (really?) didn’t make it, worried that they were going to restrict the number of students and it wouldn’t be her. I just told her then, God will take care of it.

“No mom, let me check inside first! It might be a no.”

I wanted to take a picture – she was like, “no, let me check it first! It might be a no.” They send a box that says “you did it” on the side for nos? But I didn’t say that. My phone is not a great camera, but I got a couple pictures. Everyone who was home gathered around and squealed, playing with the confetti popper and hugging their excited big sister. I sent one picture to all the grandparents, aunts, and uncles. “She got accepted!”

She’s still sitting here, going through the box, shaking and grinning. In 9 months, my oldest baby is going to be taking classes at her dream university. Education goal #1, check!

I am so excited for Christina!

All I want is for each of my children is for them to set and accomplish the goals they strive for. I want them to reach for their dreams: flying, drawing, orthodontist, marine biologist, veterinary medicine, collegiate gymnast, avian vet, or whatever the future holds. I want it to be their dream. I want to guide and help them as much as possible, but it has to be their dream. You will only succeed when it is your passion and desire.

I’m so excited for her! I’m excited to be a part of her success. I’m excited to see her work so hard toward one goal and accomplish it! This is what I love to see!

Congratulations, Christina! I know this is just the start for you!

Do what you love. Work hard for what you want. You will accomplish what you dream!

(Oh yes, and enjoy the confetti mess because, according to Jillian, that is the fun part of big sister getting accepted!)

  • Can’t really see the blue and gold bits of paper
  • Jillian says “the confetti is the fun part”

Thank you for reading!

Type at you later,

~Nancy Tart

Two Flyers

October 27, 2019

Two Flyers

Christina has been in Civil Air Patrol for a little over two years now.  She got to fly an airplane before she could legally drive a car.  (This freaked mom out a bit!) Now, I have two cadets!

C/2nd Lt Tart and C/Airman Tart

Yes, my little spunky Kimberly has been dreaming of the day she would be twelve years old for over two years (she got to hang out each time we stayed as a Civil Air Patrol unofficial “junior cadet” aka little sibling close to joining age who participates).  She discovered gymnastics and loves it!  She’s even planned to save Tuesdays (Team girls get one day off a week) just for CAP. 

Kimberly wants to be a large animal veterinarian specializing in genetic research, reproduction, and rehabilitation.  Although this doesn’t have much to do with flying planes, rocketry, space, or cyber-security, she wants to be in CAP for a while.  She wants to do any medical training, explore the education they offer, and do UCCs and other fitness related competitions.  She may discover her second love is really fitness… someday. 

That being said, part of our educational philosophy is to encourage the students to explore all experiences they can…

Including my just twelve year old, been officially in CAP two weeks, airman to try her excited, scared, jittery hand at flying.

Yes!  (Mom is less freaking out because C/2nd Lt. Tart was with her too, but still!)  My twelve year old has flown a plane – and my just-sixteen-at-the-time had “run out” of o-rides.

Type at you next time,

~Nancy Tart

Sixteen Sweet Years

October 3, 2019

Sixteen Sweet Years

The one who first called me mother is sixteen years old.  Thank you, Jesus.  I am so grateful for being blessed with Christina!  I can’t imagine life without her. 

I truly understand that God entrusts us with raising his children.  There is such a wonderful humbling feeling in being able to watch my little baby grow into a young woman of God. 

For nine months I felt this tiny life growing inside of me.  We prayed over her (not knowing who she would be yet) and loved her from the time we imagined she would come.  She was born the eldest grandchild to both sets of grandparents – imagine such a crazy double blessing! 

Fast forward to today: she’s driving and we’re on the way to her job and Kimberly’s classes with Thea and I riding along (so I can take the car back home and Thea was just up with us so got to serenade us – she sings to music now).

I thank God daily for each of my children.  I know we aren’t promised tomorrow.  I treasure every day.  Every time I get to hear Thea sing notes (no words yet, just “aaaahh-ooooh-aaah”) to music, every time Lucas builds a train track that snakes all over the front room, every time Jillian is jumping like a pogo stick because she learned a new skill or mastered a math concept, every time Jaquline makes something new, every time I get to see Kimberly march (in Civil Air Patrol) or practice some new flip (gymnastics), every time I see Becky snuggle with Lucas, Thea, and Jillian on my bed reading “Angel and the Ring” (Lucas’ favorite), every time Christina ranks up or encourages someone else… every time I get to spend life with my children. 

They don’t have to come to me when they need to talk about something or ask personal of difficult questions – I thank God that they do.  They could bury themselves in isolation from “the parents” but I’m super thankful that they choose to be around us when we are home.  In this precious time while they are close, I want to talk, snuggle, read, play games, cook together, watch them build, invent and grow, and see them climb closer to Jesus.  I am so thankful for the time we’ve been given together.

I became a mom on December 24, 2002.  My little life began inside me and I excitedly whispered it to my mother on Christmas Day because I knew she wouldn’t think it odd that I “felt” my angel start inside me. My first pregnancy journey ended with my beautiful young woman who is driving beside me now.  There is something humbling and awe-inspiring when you hold that first tiny human and realize that God has gifted you with one of His children to raise up.  Once through that, I felt the same huge responsibility and humbling gratitude each time I felt the little life start. 

Life is a vapor; you look at your tiny child in your arms and when you open your eyes again, she’s been flying a plane and driving a vehicle, doing college classes and working a job.  Though she is nearing the time she can choose to leave your home you carefully built for her, you continue to enjoy each day, each opportunity to be around her.  You pray thankful for the time you’ve had and for her safety and future. 

Those years speed by.  The love you carry never leaves.  No matter if your youngling is plucked early to fill heaven with joy, your love remains as strong as the day you discovered them growing inside you – a mother’s love never stops.

Type at you next time,

~Nancy Tart

Thea’s First Roller Coaster

September 21, 2019

Thea’s First Roller Coaster

There’s this wonderful place a few dozen miles over the Georgia line that pops up out of the long fields of cotton and orchards of pecan trees with vibrant colors, exotic animals, and fun! 

Wild Adventures. 

This place has a great history for me.  I heard my first concert there as a teenager (which introduced the “new” band DC Talk with NewSong & later was the same two bands we saw together at a winterjam concert!), I went back as a young mom with Christina (her first amusement park), then back again in 2013 with everyone for two days, and a few weeks ago, we went back on a coupon.

Actually, Wild Adventures has been the first Theme Park experience for all the girls (when babies don’t ride, they haven’t experienced it) – Lucas’ first was Six Flags.

And Thea – yes, the baby! – rode her first roller coaster!  Lucas and I were walking around the kiddie section, he was riding spinning bees and such, when he wanted to ride the roller coaster and needed a fellow rider.  I told him, “when Daddy comes over here, you can ride it, I have to stay with Thea.” The operator smiled, “can she sit up by herself?”  Yes.  “Oh, then all three of you can ride.” (WHAT??)

I’m not good at selfies…
but Thea’s face!!

So Thea, Lucas, and I rode Thea’s first roller coaster.  Thea was five and a half months old!  Did this baby enjoy it?  She giggled with Lucas and chewed on her teether the whole time.  The operator called out, “you get two rounds, does she like it?”  Lucas answered by making Thea giggle and clap. 

Of course, everyone enjoyed multiple rides and between Christina and Becky we have plenty of pictures, but I managed to take a couple.

  • All the girls except Thea!
  • Kimberly
  • Kimberly & Me
  • Jillian & Me
  • Flying!

My baby… and her first amusement park ride was a roller coaster!

Type at you later,

~Nancy Tart

Christina’s New Semester

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.

A First: Christina in her AF Blues

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. 

Major Milton presenting Christina with the Mitchell Award. (promoted to C/2ndLt)

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…

One of the Civil Air Patrol cessnas she has flown

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

Watching & Analyzing

Watching & Analyzing

April 27, 2019

I’ve always been a watcher.  I watch the world around me and (most of the time) analyze it.  I look at a beautiful blue sky and my mind says “wow, how pretty,” and quickly follows with “it won’t rain for the next few hours.”  (Yes, hours, we live in Florida – if you walk outside and don’t like the weather, go brush your teeth and check again.)

Honestly, I analyze too much.

I shouldn’t catch a glimpse of something and try to analyze it.

In relationships, that is nosy.  See someone and instantly turn on your inner Sherlock Holmes… (Four different cat hairs on her skirt, four cats – her house must be smelly… unless she uses that whatever-name-it-is-I-saw-on-tv multi-cat litter.  Is her purr-fume laced with tuna?)

That just isn’t nice.

In normal life, it can suck out the joy.

20190423_1109587165363620796550375.jpg

I catch this glance of my angel sleeping.  Instant thought: “My Mom will love this.” Second thought: “She was two months old on Easter Sunday.”  Third thought as I’m sending my mom the picture: “Daddy never saw her.”  Followed quickly by a flood: Daddy didn’t get to hear about Christina flying, Lucas will not remember his Grandfather, they won’t get to learn how amazing Daddy’s brain was – like talking to an educated encyclopedia with an open mind.  He was always listening, always talking, always making connections where we couldn’t see them; always the analyst.

Within two minutes (from the time I took the picture until Mom texted back), my mind had sent my mood from joyful to sorrowful.  From excited about young life to regretting the passing of my Daddy.  I had just rode an emotional roller coaster at work and nothing had changed on my face.

I forced myself to refocus.

Daddy always expected Christina to achieve her dreams – he once told me to “look out, she has your determination and a friendlier world; just you watch what she does!”

Lucas loves watching family videos and listening to stories of his “Santa Boompa” told by his big sisters.

I inherited Daddy’s knack for soaking up knowledge (probably why I can make myself learn any new job rather quickly) and if you want to start me talking… (yes, the girls call it lecturing) enter at your own risk because I’ll make strange connections, see beyond what is easily seen, and read into situations for what “could be.”

I remind myself that we can always shift our focus to the positive, and that’s what Daddy would have wanted.  He didn’t want anyone sad when he left us.  He always wanted the joy, smiles, and laughter that he tried to cultivate.  So, now I’m back to joyful.

Then music runs through my head: “I Choose Joy!” (For King & Country – I love that song!)

Yes, I choose joy.  Everyday.  I pray you do too.

 

Type at you Later…

~Nancy Tart

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