Father's Day Flight

Today, was a day I'll never forget.

 My dad, W's "Pa", recently took us to the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach. This airport is home to a huge collection of privately owned vintage planes. Each hanger (airplane garage) on sight holds different categories of planes: WWII fighter planes, original wood and canvas models, Nazi Germany planes, and a vast collection of biplanes from the 30s-50s. Each hanger is built to mimic the facility that would have housed these planes at their circa date; some have wood floors and ceilings! This collection is really impressive- even if you have zero airplane knowledge like I did. Not only are these planes on display, but each one of them is also fully operable!

My Dad's motivation in visiting this museum was to see all the planes that his father flew during his career as a pilot. We saw the Stearman Biplane that he learned to first learned to fly in, and an array of fighter planes he test-piloted in WWII. My grandfather, Walter Hensleigh, is who my Walter is named after. And he of course, has a love for airplanes just like his great-grandfather. 

Upon visiting the museum, we learned that you're able to book airplane rides in the Stearman Biplane! My dad was enamored with the idea, but dismissed it and said he'll have to keep the idea for the future. My mom and I saw my Dad become a kid again, rattling off every fact and story he remembered from watching his own Dad fly for so many years. We HAD to book this flight for Father's Day. Luckily, we were able to do so and he had a BLAST, we all did. 

^ My guys <3

Grandpa Walter's flight suit from the 1940's.

                     

^^ This photo of my grandpa Walter hangs in my son's nursery. Here, he is getting into the original Stearman he learned to fly in... so, today we were able to recreate the image! Maybe one day, baby W can do the same... 

My grandpa, Walter, passed away when I was young. I unfortunately didn't know him well other than he was a man of few words, but when he spoke, people listened. He operated in excellence and expected the same from his family. He lived humbly and gave his family a world of experiences.

I'm grateful that he passed all of the qualities onto my own Dad.  

There is one quality that I have learned from the most, and that's my Dad's intentionality with words. This some what seemingly simple quality is better known as "soft-spokenness" or just being a "quiet-person". I think these terms are often overlooked- he is quiet: he takes time to think on his words before they're spoken because words impact who they're spoken to. I don't have a memory of being yelled at, but I remember being spoken to with a steady eye and a calm voice. I don't have a memory of my Dad telling me what action was right or wrong, he simply modeled the behavior I should follow. I don't have a memory of him telling me what decision I should make, but through knowing his content heart I knew how to follow the direction of God. 

                       

 Through you, Dad, I know at a young age the impact my actions will always have over my words. I've learned quickly that my son won't always listen to what I have to say, but he will always model my behavior. Like my grandpa and like you, I am quiet. I am grateful for the example you have silently set for me. No words could have prepared me for the adventure of parenthood, but I have always felt perfectly equipped because of my ability to think back at how you showed me. 

1 John 3:18

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

 You are our definition of wisdom, contentment, integrity, commitment, and love. 

He couldn't believe Pa was flying!

Watching Pa land!

He made it!

This Father's Day is one that I will never, ever forget. Walking back to the hanger after your flight, you shed tears. You told us you felt closer to your Dad during this flight, and in tern, we felt closer to you.

Thank you, Dad, for showing me again today, that my experience and my actions will live on for generations.

We love you with all that we are. Happy Father's Day.