Fini-Flight

Remember how I promised to explain to you what a fini-flight is?
Well I still intend to, but first I must lament the fact that it snowed here yesterday.
On April 2nd.
During Spring Break.

Tomorrow, April 4th, my daughter is supposed to be wearing a sleeveless pastel yellow dress with white sandals as a warm breeze blows through her hair whilst I snap pictures of her hunting eggs.

There seems to be some disconnect there.

Not unlike the disconnect between a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and a large bunny hiding candy-filled eggs in a backyard. Yet we will embrace the tradition of it all and explain to the kids that the bunny is so excited about Jesus that he wants to share his joy, and egg-filled candy, with all of us.
Hooray!

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

A fini-flight.
This is what they do in a fighter squadron when one of the guys or gals is having their last flight with the squadron.
They plan one last mission and go tear it up in the air before landing and being congratulated, thanked, and hosed down with water.
Those three things go together, don't you think?

So yesterday was our friend Jon's fini-flight.
Meet the Larsons:

Jon is seperating from the Air Force, so this was his last hoorah in the F-15E.

Meet the F-15E:

Josh flew with Jon in his last flight. Here they are about to get out of the jet.

And here is how the departing member is greeted as soon as he gets two feet on the ground.

Did I mention that it snowed yesterday?
Yeah.
It was cold.
Apparently there is no mercy shown on cold days.

The rest of us just watch and laugh. No one even brings a towel.

I have to show you this picture of baby Brooke with hearing protection in place. Her cheeks are just too much to pass up on.

I think she wanted to cry, but the headset was clamping her mouth closed.

So other than supporting our friends and offering them our best wishes, would any of you care to take a guess as to another reason that I enjoy attending fini-flights?

Yes sir.

If the flight suit does it for me, the flight suit with the parachute is even better.
I have issues, I know.

But I like it.
A lot.

This angle is good too.

So when's the next guy leaving? I'm ready for another fini.


Jon & Robyn, We'll miss you guys! May God bless your family as you enter the "real world"!