10 Day Writing Challenge ~ Day 2

Day 2 of the 10 Day Writing Challenge ~

POD #2: Altitude training

BEFORE you took this Challenge, when was the last time you trained at altitude—diving into something that stretched you beyond what you’d ever done or felt before, or stepping out toward a dream without the perfect resources or plan in place?

How did it go? Describe the adventure. What new superpowers did you develop in the process? What powers—extraordinary traits at the core of who you are—did you realize you’d always had, all along? And what powers do you intend to grow and unlock here, in this 10 Day Writing Challenge? Declare it!

Altitude training ~ the first thing that came to mind was the many challenges I have faced in my life and overcome...when we moved to Holland...I was a scared 19 year old with a new baby, dealing with the loss of baby, being truly separated from family and friends and traveling alone...a four month old is really not much company.  But what a trip it was ~ visited for a week with my Grandpa, met aunts and cousins I didn't know I had, saw parts of this beautiful USA where I had never been, found out I could handle the unexpected...like picking up the wrong suitcase at JFK Airport, going to the hotel, realizing my error, traveling back to the airport, connecting with the man who had my suitcase full of diapers and exchanged it for his suitcase of men's suits, got drunk for the first time...who would have guessed that, realized no one could steal my baby from the airplane when we were 30,000'+ up in the air ~ yes I thought that...I know too funny when you actually think about it.

And one of the most important lessons in life I learned while we lived in Holland...let me set the stage...we had a little yellow pickup (unheard of by European standards) and was a target of the local police.  The third time I got stopped and was told that Jamie's carseat had to go in the back (we had a canopy on the truck so it looked a little like a station wagon) I marched my 19 year old butt into the base commander's office...um  YOU DON't DO THAT!!! Demanded to see Colonel Nutt (yes that was his name) and told him in no uncertain terms that I needed to go back home to the US where I wasn't ridiculed...the first thing he did was sit me down and then asked "was your husband in the military when you married him" Yes.  "Do you know that you can get him in a ton of trouble for coming in my office like a crazy woman?" No "Well you can" and then he proceeded to tell me he could fix the issue with the carseat/truck...he had a sticker in his drawer for such a time as that but most importantly he wanted to give me some advice...

"My job, as Ron's wife is to make his home a happy place, love and support him in every way possible.  I may be married to Ron but  he was more married to the US Air Force and I needed to remember that.  No matter where we go in life I was to be Ron's helpmate, to encourage him and not do stupid things that could get him in lots of trouble with a Commander or a boss."  He then gave me a hug, told me to enjoy our time in Holland and he didn't ever want to see me in his office again. 
By then I was really in tears, prayed Ron wouldn't get into trouble and went home.  I did get stopped by the police about three weeks later and when I showed him the sticker on the carseat, he smiled and said have a great day.  I never got stopped after that.

That has been the best advice I have ever received and I am so thankful for Colonel Nutt for not responding in a way that would or could have had detrimental effects on my life and my marriage.  And I have thought of his comments often as we have moved, over 40 times in 43 years of marriage, not counting how many times we have moved the RV to a new park, that I have always tried to make our home a happy place for Ron and for our family.

I don't know about any super powers gleaned or I want in the future, what I do want to do is to continue to grow in my life and relationship with the Lord, He is the best Commander in life!!!  And to continue to love and support Ron in our marriage and this adventure we call life.