surprise

I am trying to think of a time when I was flying that I received the biggest surprise.  There are really too many to remember.  In flying you can always count on a surprise, but there is supposed to be a checklist to handle everything.  I had a few times when there was no checklist, but I always tried to turn the problem into something that there was a checklist.

I can remember one time I was flying race horses and we were landing in Shreveport, I believe.  I had just become a full fledged "captain".  Except with a new captain, there are higher minimums.  Meaning that I had to have better weather more so than a "seasoned" or more experienced captain.  Well, as the story goes, we were landing in Shreveport when the weather turned sour.  It was fine for a captain who was not on higher minimums, but not me.  The company called me in the air and stated that I was 45 minutes from being able to go to lower minimums.  What they then asked was how much fuel I had on board and could I hold for 45 minutes and then make the approach into Shreveport.  So what changed in that 45 minutes that made me able to now land at an airport that the we weren't able to land at before?  Good question, but we ultimately went in and landed.  I don't remember it being any different than any other approach I made, but there was something that changed.  I was now an "experienced" captain.  One funny thing that happened on this flight that I can remember was that while we were in a holding pattern, one of the cowboys in the back knocked on the cockpit door and came in and asked if anyone wanted some beef jerky.  We kindly said no thank you and he left.  All this time tho, we were flying in some really nasty weather.  As I remember, this was one of the few times that I actually saw St. Elmo's fire in the day time.  Now, the real funny part.  After the cowboy left, my co-pilot who was more than likely more seasoned than myself said " What the hell are you doing, get back in your seat.  We're fixin' to die".  He was joking, of course, and he said it in his best southern accent.  This also surprised me.  He put me at ease.  I am sure he could see that I was a bit on edge.  I had only shot an approach in real nasty weather in the simulator.

Fast forward to the other day. 

I called my brother in the morning and needed some advice.  He answered with his granddaughter right by the phone and you could tell they were enjoying each other.  Emery said "Hello Uncle Mike" in the cutest voice you could imagine.  I almost hung up at that point.  I had my answer. 

Things happen for a reason.  I quit trying to understand these things.  Actually, that is a lie.   I sometimes feel that these are life lessons that God is teaching us.

Oh, by the way, I just found out that I am going to be a Granddad.

SURPRISE!