Alexander and James are coming down from an exilirating high.

Dear family and friends,
Today November 18, 2006
We were invited to come over to my friend's Fly-In.
My friend sheryl Davis( the wonderfully kind lady who has been
giving me free oil painting lessons since August.) A Fly- in is when
Their friends: fly in from all over and gather at the Davis' hanger
and eat,talk and friendly flying contestants:(bomb drop)(stop on the
line.)To enter into their neihborhood, you drive along the runway
(very slowly!)There are signs that warn:STAY OFF THE GRASS,WATCH OUT
FOR PLANES. They are serious about it.One car left, a little too fast
and they were told to hang a left at the end of the drive-way and not
come backl, unles they walked from the driveway. The whole
neighborhood was there: Instead of cars in the yard, there were all
kinds of airplanes. Off of their kitchen was a full-blown plane hanger
(planes and all. One of them belonged to Sheryl's husband, Norman.
Today, the planes were placed among several long tables( loaded with
food. We were not ther long until the grill got cranked up and it
washamburgers, and hotdogs,potato salad,beans, broclli salad, and
your choice of desert:chocalte cake,James' special(pumkin\Plaines and
cream cake.OH EHST A PARTY. After the pilot's food settled: the
games began: James went up up tin one that participated in (stop on
the line .they paint a white line in the grass beside the runway( a
pilot must circle around, then try and stop as close to the line as
possible. Some one on the side-line( not too close to the line.‚ is a
spoter for each plane in the contest. James' plane won that game.HIP
HIP HOURAY. Alexander went up alone, and helped in the bomb-drop.( a
plane goes up and the lucky occupant gets to try and drop a bag of
sand on a circle paintedf on the grass.9 hopefully not too close to
the spotter. Alexander'd plane was in second place. The pilot
thanked Alexander for being such a good bag dropper, and for a first
time flyer\without a parent. James watched from the ground, I was
getting another well needed painting lesson from Sheryl. She made me
sit down at a table in the hanger.It'snot likre I could stand there.
it was nice to paint and listen to planes buzzing over-head. And
talking wikth my friend Sheryl, there was another lady there, Darlene
and she is a former stident of Sheryl's, and they met because
Darlene's husband is a pilot. Imagine that. Nno one minded that we
were not plane people.WEWERESHERYL'S FRIENDS. I decl;ined the chance
to go up. Scared, a little, It wou;d have been too hard for me to
get into a plane. I didn't mind: I had fun, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY:
and my family had a great time. Jaime didn't go, because he wanted to
go to a friend's birthday party.Which wqs fine. We have been invited
back in May for a Fly-In(breakfast club)I am sure Jaime will go with
us then. May be in May I can ask to be a spoter. If they do games in
May. I will have to ask Norman about that. I wonder how I
coulpractice for that for that?zevry thing I do I must practice. I
will just need my battery chair working by then. IT WAS A WONDERFUL
DAY. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE ONE TIME: SOME ONE REALIZED I LOOKED AWFUL
YOUNG TO BE IN A WHEEL CHAIR.( there WAS AN92-yearold lady there in a
wheel chair, who had siuffered a stroke. Aneighbor came up to me and
looking t measked"Where you in an accident?" My reply,"No, I had a
stroke due to a devere blow to the head." Which is al;ways followed
by:" Oh, io sm do sorry, that is horrible. How long ago did that
happen? " I reply", four years ago. Well, bad things happen: I just
try to make the most of things. It could have been worse, I could
have died that night, but I didn't." What I don't understand is why
I haven't gotten use to explaining my sad situation to strangers. I
can't explain how I feel about all that has transpired over the last
long four years! I HAVE A WONDERFUL HUSBAND WHO SUPPORTS ME 199% OF
MY LIFE. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE I WOUL;D BE WITHOUT HIM.( in an
instition.)HE IS THE BEST FATHER TO OUR SONS. I might be wheel chair
bound, but i am not house bound. When people ask about-today: James
can say"i was in the clouds." I don't want my "problem" to keep him
house bound. Thank God for friends who make miracles happen for my
loved ones.
I hope allof yall have been healthy and happy! I hopr James will
post some of the picture he took today.
LOVE YALL, THANKS FOR REASING MY FAMILY JOURNAL WE-LEAVE WEDNESDAY
FOR GEORGIA.I need to spend some time with my mother.This is the
first Thanksgiving without my Father. It will be strange for
everyone. I will let you know how it ewent.
love, Carol Armstrong and family.
'