Family car wash.

It's a tradition in my family that when someone has a birthday or a special time in their life, we do a family car wash. This is where the special person we are celebrating, lays on their back as the rest of the family rubs their hands on their back, with the occasional booty poking for jokes. I had just been through another break up and was again, single. But it was my birthday and we were not going to think about that. I was 25 at the time and I honestly didn't feel that different. Most people feel old at 25 because they think "A quarter century". But not me, I felt comfortable. It was dad's turn, and these words have stuck by me from that moment and especially in the moments I question if I can be a pilots wife.

"Collie, you are confident and independent."

It wasn't until recently that I understood why God had given me the life of independence - As a pilots wife, it is imperative to be independent. Ya, I had heart breaks, lonely times, and moments of "Make yourself happy" which were not always wanted. However, all of those times nursed my independence that I would need as a pilots wife. I'm not going to have Taylor around all of the time because he will be flying and because of that, I need to know how to do things on my own, how to make myself happy, how to fix things on my own, how to learn, play, serve, teach, and thrive on my own. Of course, it never really is alone though is it - I have God and a husband who supports every moment of my independency. 

So dad, you were right, I am confident and independent and God assisted in that independency because it was suppose to last a lifetime.

(One of my favorite memories of my dad - Finding money in my wallet he snuck in. He is a man of not so much emotion, but he has one of the biggest hearts I know. Love you daddy.)