Nate Update

I haven't really written much about Nate and his work lately, but with a little request and reminder, I figured I probably should. (Thanks, Aunt Marcy!)  

Nate is, in a word, BUSY.

This weekend was the first time (I think) since he started working that he didn't have to work on Saturday and/or Sunday.  He did go in pick up his forgotten Friday lunch so that it wouldn't spoil over the weekend, and ended up staying for about three hours because the boss figured, well, you're here...might as well get in a little more of the training.  

(We won't go into my immediate reaction.  Suffice it to say, I did get it under control. ;)

But seriously, his duty day is officially from 8am to 10pm, and they've been taking full advantage of that.  

(I have a lot of things I could elaborate and comment on, but since it is his job and this is a public blog, I will stick to just the un-elaborated facts.)

He has finished the basic training that was pretty much review, and passed his check-ride, so now he is a certified Part 91 and Part 135 Pilot, which has to do with what types of commercial flying he can legally do.  This certification is exciting because it opens the door to a whole new world of potential jobs.  He's studied the GPS system, and been certified in seat removal and installation.  He's now doing more ground training to get ready to receive his long-line flight training.  This is also exciting; its one of the things he's wanted to do since before we were married! 

His boss is training him, and in the words of a co-worker, probably giving him the most thorough and best training in these things that money could buy, and we're getting paid to be here! That is a blessing.  

Nate is happy with this job.  He likes his co-workers, he's excited about the flying, he's grateful for the training and experience he'll have, and he's having fun figuring out the best gear for what he needs and getting it all together.  (They have to basically have a survival kit of their own, besides the one in the helicopter - sleeping bag, bivy sack,

sleeping pad -- might as well be comfortable if you are gonna freeze to death out on the Alaskan tundra --

waterproof tote, firestarter, etc.

and by law, Alaska bush pilots have to carry a gun with them when they fly. ;)

I don't really know what else to write about it.  We are glad for every little bit of time we have together, and learning to deal with the long hours and different schedules.  Oh, yes, I did mention earlier the possible stretches of time Nate might be out in the bush.  So far, he's been home every night, being that he's still in the training phase and the busy season has not yet started.  That time will likely be between June and August.  We'll see how life is then.  

We're blessed.  Eden has one little pearly white popped out on the bottom left front, and the other bottom tooth is a little ridge just under the surface, ready to push through any minute! The top ones are not yet able to be felt, but we can see them under her gums.  She's loving to eat all sorts of things - rice, mashed beans, pieces of bread and biscuit, bits of noodle - and does admirably with soft or hard spout sippy cups, plain drinking cups, and drinking out of a straw! (Although we do have to stabilize the cup for her!)  My little charge seems to have settled down, now that the boundaries and authority have been tested and established.  She even put herself on the stairs today when she realized she'd taken the play-dough onto the forbidden carpet area! And I got a nap or two over the weekend and to bed at a better hour, and so have infinitely more patience and resilience!