As I think back over all that transpired during this time, I can’t help but be so grateful.  You know, when you’re going through something challenging, you don’t always have the strength to be thankful, just trying to survive consumes all your energy.  There’s something powerful about going back and writing it all down, you get a sort of aerial view of the events and you have the advantage of knowing how it turns out.  This time of “reliving” some of the most transitional days of our life has me in awe as to how God works things out just in the nick of time. 

He’s never too early and never too late.

On with the story…

Jeff and I stood in the airport, hand in hand, watching the crowd around us become smaller as people took their place in line to board.  You could almost feel the relief when someone’s name was called and they knew they had a seat on the plane.  I already told you Jeff and I were numbers forty two and forty three on the standby list.  We were taking the gate agents advice and waiting until the jet bridge was pulled away and the plane backed out of the gate before we gave up hope.  

And then it happened.

“Jeff Carlson” we heard the name loud and clear over the sound system, Jeff let go of my hand and walked to the counter to receive his ticket.  We had planned to go together, but we had agreed he would go alone if there weren’t enough seats.  And then they called me.  I wish I could adequately describe the relief, joy and terror that washed through me in that moment.  I mean, what were we doing??  We had three kids, bills to pay and how would we ever survive without a job?  So many questions unanswered, but in that moment, I think we glowed with hope. 

We boarded the plane, somewhere in the back, listened to the flight attendant’s instructions, then held on to each other as the plane took off.  It was happening.  Actually happening.  When Jeff first mentioned this a year earlier, it felt like a pipe dream, never something that would (or could) actually happen.  But, here we were, buckled in tight, on the way to Florida. The flight down was uneventful except for the fact that this event could change the trajectory of our lives forever.

We landed in Orlando without any fuss really, it was a smooth flight and the weather was nice.   Because we were taking the tour of Delta Connection Academy, there was a hotel van at the airport for us.   This quick trip was complementary for any potential student.  We, along with a few others, boarded the van and headed across town to our hotel.  We were exhausted after a long day of flying, so, even though we were in this amazing city, all we wanted was sleep.

The next morning a van from the Academy arrived to pick us up.  We were so nervous and excited and ready to see what a potential life in the airlines might look like.  Once at the Academy we were escorted, along with about ten others, to a conference room where we would hear a spiel about this amazing career choice.   It’s important to note here that we were (by far) the oldest people in the group.  We heard from an instructor, a recruitment specialist and a social liaison.  They talked to us about how amazing it was to fly and also the practical side of things, like housing.  At lunch, we got on the van and went to downtown Sanford, FL and ate at a nice place.  For the life of us we can’t remember where we ate, but we did enjoy it.  They drove us around the area and talked to us about logistics and what a life might look like as a Delta pilot.  

We were hanging on every word. 

After lunch, we went on a guided tour to view the grounds and see some airplanes up close.  Up to that point in our marriage I don’t think I’d ever seen my husband so engaged.  I mean, he always worked hard, some might argue he has workaholic tendencies, but that’s a different conversation.  I’m trying to think of words to describe how he seemed to me those two days, excited was definitely a big part of it, maybe a bit scared, hopeful, but mostly it felt like God was opening this giant opportunity, one he’d prayed for and dreamed of, and he was determined to walk right into it with eyes wide open and a heart ready to roar.   Okay, so I know that’s a lot of descriptive words but, to be fair, there were A LOT of emotions crashing in on one another back then. 

All in all we had a really good experience at Delta Connection Academy.  They did a good job of selling their school as a place to train.   As a side note, a majority of pilots go into commercial flying straight from the military so they learn to fly for free, but there are enough guys out there who go in the civilian way that there is a need for schools like this one.   Jeff and I recently talked about all of this, hashing out the details as well as we could remember, we both agree we went into this journey a bit naive.  I would argue we needed that naivety or we probably would’ve said no way, this is too hard.  It can’t be done.   

When the tour was wrapping up, Jeff had a chance to talk to the recruiter that had been working with him over the phone for a few weeks.  At this point he felt more than ever God was opening doors.  There were many details to work out, but, by now we both knew this was our next step.  Jeff walked up to the recruiter with all of this hope in his heart and shook his hand enthusiastically, then he said, “Hi, I’m Jeff, and this is Sandi, we’re from Iowa and we have three kids.”  Right then the recruiter interrupted him and said, “You have three kids? This school isn’t for you.”    Time stopped for a moment as we stood there in awkward silence before Jeff finally thanked him for the tour and said good bye.

We were at a crossroads. 

We thought we saw open doors and opportunity, but reality and doubt threatened to stand in our way.

So, what did we do?

We boarded our flight back to Iowa,

drove home

 and started packing.

When God plants a dream in your heart, he gives you the strength, patience and faith to see it through.

God opens doors that no man can close.