I couldn't make this up if I tried...

Just a few minutes ago my son and I are in the living room with the TV cranked up watching final 10 seconds of the Space Shuttle Discovery's countdown. This has always been important for us to watch. I worked at KSC on the shuttle program for over 10 years and my son was born in Cape Canaveral Hospital and you could see all the launch pads from his hospital room. It's in our DNA! So son wants to go to the Air Force Academy, be an aerospace engineer, test pilot, astronaut, etc. Discovery's launch was postponed a long time for technical problems. Finally I get to see sad history being made and I think I have a teary eye coming on thinking back to all my friends and the good and tough times we had down there. So what an annoyance when the darn telephone starts to ring off the wall in the next room. Do I go and answer or stay and watch. Of course I should stay and watch, right? Probably just a darn pan handler anyway during dinner time. Something said go get it. But I'm going to miss the launch! They main engines are just starting up. OK, run and get it. I don’t' recognize the call ID at all. It's suspicious and I NEVER pick those up. I can hear the rumble really picking up in the next room. What a waste of time! No, pick it up. Some one I've never heard before asks for my son. Great. One of his friends with a math question or something. I run back to see Discovery just unleashed from its tie downs and bolting up off the pad as I hand the phone to him. He's totally not interested in it. We're glued to the TV. He starts talking to someone excitedly about the shuttle clearing the tower and leaves the room. Comes back in non nonchalantly and says, that was Representative Patrick Meehan and I got an appointment to the Air Force Academy. Then he can't contain it anymore and cracks a smile and high fives me. Wow, shuttle and AFA appointment coming together in the same seconds after months of delays and waiting for each. Yep, I call that a good sign!

Wow...congratulations to your son and your family, sounds like an omen. Best of luck to him next year.

Congrats Luckymacy to you and your son! Hopefully both happening simultaneously is a good omen for your son's plan to become an astronaut.

Thanks. What a journey so far. Son didn't have an LOA so if they are contacting us now then I think we are going to see the AFA forum start to pick up again! We're relieved because he had 2 ROTC scholarship offers and we really wanted to turn them back in sooner rather than later so others could get them.

luckymacy said:

Thanks. What a journey so far. Son didn't have an LOA so if they are contacting us now then I think we are going to see the AFA forum start to pick up again! We're relieved because he had 2 ROTC scholarship offers and we really wanted to turn them back in sooner rather than later so others could get them.

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I hear you, we are in that boat right now, waiting to hear from USNA....I really hope we get to pass my sons scholarship along to someone, too!!!

Wow that is amazing timing!!! Congrats to you and your DS... Great times ahead!!!

I was just wating the news just now and saw the same thing. Your DS sounds just like mine. We went down to KSC and watched 2 Shuttle missions take off and it was wonderful! Congrats on your call. My DS got his call on New Years Eve. What a great way to start the year. Still waiting on getting into AFA so we hope it works out well for you guys. What a great story!

Congrats to your son! Awesome news!

And talk about the perfect analogy for the reaction you must have flet when the news sunk in.

And like a shuttle mission, remember this is just the first step in a multi-million mile journey....

Bullet said:

Congrats to your son! Awesome news!

And talk about the perfect analogy for the reaction you must have flet when the news sunk in.

And like a shuttle mission, remember this is just the first step in a multi-million mile journey....

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yep, I'm not unfastening my parental shoulder straps just yet! I know the roller coaster ride continues and will probably only get bumpier but I LOVE roller coasters!

Congratulation Luckymacy and to your son.. Great news....

Congrats to you and your family!

Stealth_81

Nice, nice post! Thank you for sharing, and congratulations--of course!

Great story. I just read it to my DS who is anxiously waiting to hear from his Congressman as well.

congrats luckymacy to you and your son!!!

Congrats to your son Luckymacy! My son was also a principal nominee and he had a message from our Congressman last Thursday when he arrived home to notify him of the appointment. Although the online status has yet to change, his BFE came today. Hopefully, your son will receive his within the week as well. There has been a lot of excitement in our household this past week as I am sure there is at yours. Best wishes to your son!

Luckymacy,

Congratualations! Are you still in Brevard Co.? I went outside to watch the shuttle but it was too cloudy to see anything.

I am sure y'all are flying as high as they!

Congratulations, luckymacy, that's great news indeed and what a way to receive it.

Thanks for that story! I have goosebumps! You will never forget such an exciting moment! Heck, I just saw a change on a status page when we found out about ds appointment (KP) and can remember every second. Sure are glad for ya that you answered the phone! Neat!

What a great moment...I must say I got a little teary reading it. My daughter's dream is to become an astronaut. As I was watching yesterday afternoon, I thought it would be a perfect time for that phone to ring. We are still waiting....I'm glad it rang for your son.

Congrats, I am sure last night you probably slept well! There is nothing like that...you actually feel the weight of the world come off your shoulders.