For those of you that don't know me outside of having a child with Down syndrome.....I am a pilot for Frontier Airlines. Everyone thinks that I have such a glamorous job......flying all around, seeing the world, staying in grand hotels and making a "ton" of money. Well, I only wish all those things were true! In reality, I will be gone more than I will be home. I work all the holidays. I work most of the weekends. The hotels I stay in.....well, if you have ever watched a Dateline or 20/20 special on hotels, you would never want to stay in one again. And the money issue....the pilots that make the good money were hired by a Major airline about 10 years prior to 9/11. After that day, the industry has never been the same. A little FYI, when I was hired by my first airline job, I made a measly $17,000 a year flying passengers around. I had to get a job as a front desk clerk at a health club just to pay my rent.
Besides all the negativity about my job.......I really do love to fly! I took my first flying lesson when I was 14 years old. It is what I have been doing my whole life!
There is a small part of me that is looking forward to the actual physical part of flying. But, the being gone away from my girls is what I am fighting so bad!!!
You see, my hubby Mark, is a pilot too. So, not only am I gone, but he is gone even more. He has to commute to Minneapolis to start his trips. I am sure you are asking, "Who is going to take care of the girls?!?" The answer to that is my parents. Or more so, my mom, as my dad travels for work too.
I am trying to have a positive attitude about going back......it's going to be nice to have a break, to have some time to myself, to be able to work out when I am on the road. But, in all honesty, I know that my days home are going to be even more hectic than they are now. When I get home, I am going to be trying to fit in so many things.....spending quality time with my girls, spending time with my husband, doing laundry, paying bills, mowing the lawn, and everything else that is involved with home ownership, repacking to leave again for 4 days and god forbid, maybe do something fun as a family.
I feel insanely fortunate and blessed to know that my girls are going to be in such good hands while we are gone.......who's better hands to be in than a grandma's!!! But, I also know that I am putting a lot of pressure on my mom. It's a lot for me when I am home alone with the girls for several days. It's going to be even tougher for her, especially physically. All the therapy appointments, running around to dance class, swim class and back/forth to the Rise school. It's a lot!!
It's so funny how your perspective changes in life, as you go through different things. Prior to having kids.....my ultimate goal was to become a 747 Captain flying international trips and loving life! But, now that I have kids........I just want to be with them, to cherish them and raise them to be well-rounded, compassionate, loving girls! I want to make memories that they are going to remember for the rest of their lives!
So.....my end result......I am going to go back and try this whole flying thing for awhile. There are some potential changes at the company that could either positively or negatively affect my schedule and seniority. If it goes in the positive direction, I will try and make it work and maybe I will even enjoy my "break" from the girls. If it goes in the negative direction, I probably will "hang up" my wings and call it a day.
So, wish me luck, as I am going back to training tomorrow! Let's see if I can remember how to fly an airplane!!!
And because I don't like to do a blog post without a picture.........how can I want to be away from these cute little faces!?!?
