After much waiting and worrying whether or not it would ever happen, we were finally able to get Nicholas up in Papa's helicopter. With only 6 months left to go until he celebrates his well deserved retirement, we knew it was basically now or never. We've tried to arrange it before, but with the corporate rules frequently changing we never seemed to get the perfect window of opportunity. But Dad finally got the green light for a quick ride with his grandson, so we hopped up to Tulsa this weekend and made Nicholas' dreams come true. And I have to say that this was no ordinary event in my life. For me, some of the greatest memories of my childhood are the days spent watching my daddy fly his helicopters. My father is a very special man who showed me what it was like to have a dream in life and to follow your passion no matter where it took you. Whether that be Vietnam, the tourist mecca of Branson, MO, or moving your family from their hometown to the great state of Oklahoma (which none of us thought was very great in the beginning). He knew that flying helicopters was the only thing he ever wanted to do and that's exactly what he's done, for 44 amazing years. He passed that love of flying onto me, and for most of my childhood becoming a pilot was all I ever thought about. Well, I obviously never became a pilot but it will always have a very special place in my heart and the root of a powerful bond I will always share with my dad. So, watching Nicholas flying with his Papa, just like I've done more times than I can count, made for a truly spectacular memory.
The old days...
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