Posted 2/13/2013 Updated 2/13/2013  Email story Print story by Staff Sgt. Terri Barriere 15th Wing Public Affairs 2/13/2013 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Caleb Jensen has dreamed of becoming a pilot for as long as he can remember. He thought about it, talked about it and on Feb. 8 his dream came true. Caleb, 15, was selected for the Pilot For a Day program after undergoing an intense battle with aplastic anemia, a condition which causes the body to stop producing new blood cells. After being admitted to Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children for treatment, he was identified by the hospital's child life specialist and nurses as a good candidate for the private organization, Pilot For a Day, and an experience with the 15th Wing, focused on children with serious or chronic medical conditions. Capt. Todd Walker, said Pilot For a Day invites children of all ages, military or civilian, to be guests of the wing and one of its flying squadrons for an entire day. In so doing, the mission is to give each child a special day and a break from whatever challenges they are facing. "Pilot For a Day came at the perfect time," said Melissa Jensen, Caleb's mom. "It came at the end of his treatment and was really a good way for us to celebrate things getting back to normal." Melissa said after finding out Caleb's diagnosis in June, setting up a bone marrow transplant between him and his sister in August, and home-schooling him while nursing him back to health for the remainder of last year; she knew Pilot for a Day would be perfect for him. "I agreed to let him participate, because I knew he'd love it," she said. "He's done nothing but talk about being a pilot and his love for flying for a while now. This was perfect for him." After receiving a clean bill of health at his most recent medical appointment, Caleb was more than ready to leave the doctors and hospitals in the past and engage in a little fun. Caleb, who said he's not sure of anything else he'd like to accomplish other than becoming a pilot of "something big," is now considering the military as a possible avenue to fulfilling his life-long dream. "This was really good timing, I'm feeling tons better," he said. "My favorite part of the day was definitely the KC-135 simulator. It's as close to flying as I can get right now and it was really a lot of fun. I can't wait to tell my friends I got to fly a plane while they were at school." To make the moment even sweeter for Caleb, his parents, brother and three sisters were able to share the experience. And just as his family rallied around him in support as he underwent his treatments, they were there to share the moment he notably marks as one of the best days of his life. "We've been through a really hard time together, so it's good to be able to experience the really good ones together as well," Melissa said of her family's participation in Pilot For a Day. "This will be a lasting memory my whole family shares and it was a lot of fun." The mother said that after the ups and downs of the past several months, it was refreshing to see her children having so much fun. "Just watching their faces light up ...everyone had these great big smiles on their face," she said. Col. Terry Scott, 15th Wing vice commander, said those smiles, in essence, are what the Pilot For a Day program is all about. "I feel lucky, privileged, honored and very fortunate to participate in Pilot For a Day," he said. "It's great to meet such good people who have overcome such obstacles. They've earned my respect and it doesn't matter how old they are, it's respectable to see someone not giving up, not quitting, taking life by the horns and going out there and living - seizing life." Scott said supporting programs like Pilot For a Day show the compassionate side of the U.S. military, a point not lost on the Jensen family. "Thank you so much for your generosity," said Caleb. "This was so much fun. I really would enjoy coming back to do it again. This was definitely the best Friday ever!" | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 February 2013
Pilot For a Day: Caleb Jensen
Pilot For a Day: Caleb Jensen
10 February 2013
10 January 2013
19 December 2012
Pidgin Style: "Da Night Bafo' Christmas"
Twas the Night Before Christmas, Pidgin Style
(The chaplain at Kapiolani read this to the kids today at Caleb's check-up)
Was da night bafo' Christmas,
and all ova' da place
Not even da geckos
was showin' their face.
Da stockings was hangin' on top da TV?
('Cause no mo' fireplace in Hawai'i)
Da kids stay all crashed, my old man too.
They leave all da work for you-know-who.
So me, I stay pickin' up alla their toys,
When - boom! - outside get only big noise!
I run to da window, I open 'em up,
I stick out my head and I yell, "Eh! Whassup?!"
And then, I no can ba-lieve what I seen!
Was so unreal, you know what I mean?
This fat haole guy get his reindeers in my yard!
And reindeers not housebroken, you know, as' why hard!
But nemmind, this Christmas, so I cut 'em some slack.
Plus, had uku pile presents pokin' outta his sack!
So I wait 'till he pau tie up his reindeer,
Then I yell out da window, "Huui! Brah, ova hea!"
An' I tell 'em first thing, when I open da door,
"Eh, Hemo your shoes! You going dirty my floor!"
He take off his boots, he tell, "You know who I am?"
I go, "Ho! From the smell, must be Mr. Toe Jam!"
He make mempachi eyes and he go, "Ho, ho, ho!"
By now, I stay thinking this guy kinda slow!
He look like my Tutu, but little less weight,
And his beard stay so white, mo' white than shark bait!
He stay all in red, specially his nose,
And get reindeer spit on top his nice clothes!
But him, he no care; he just smile at me,
And he start fo' put presents unda-neath da tree.
I tell 'em, "Eh, brah, no need make li'dat,
And watch where you step! You going ma-ke da cat!"
Then, out from his bag, he pull one brand new computah,
Choke video games, and one motorized scootah!
He try for fill up da Christmas socks too,
But had so much pukas, all da stuff went fall troo.
When he pau, I tell 'em, "Eh Santa, try wait!
I get plenty leftovahs, I go make you one plate!"
But he nevah like hang, he had so much fo' do;
Gotta make all them small kids' wishes come true.
So I wave 'em goodbye, and I flash 'em da shaka,
And I tell 'em, "Mele Kalikimaka!"
When he hear that, he stop and I telling you true,
He go, "Garans ball-barans! Merry Christmas to you!"
10 December 2012
10 November 2012
30 October 2012
Cross Country 2012
Campbell Meet 09/08/12
Kaiser Meet 09/21/12
Westerns (at Waialua) 10/06/12
OIA's (at Hawaii Pacific University) 10/20/12
Top 20 OIA Co-Champions (Leilehua and Roosevelt)
States (on the Big Island at HPA) 10/26/12
14 October 2012
Avengers Dress and Heels
One of Brooklin's favorite things is The Avengers.
She was surfing Pinterest one day and found a pair of Avengers comic book heels that she fell in love with. The link took her to etsy.com where she learned that the heels sold for $85! She also found an Avengers dress on etsy but it was pretty expensive as well...($200!!!)
She had a dance coming up, so I searched the web for a tutorial on how to make comic book shoes and found a few (here and here) that didn't look too hard. I ordered some cheap comic books (from NewKadia.com) and then took her out to find some heels. I also went on a search for some Avengers fabric and a dress pattern that was cute and had sleeves (way harder than you might think!)
It took us about 6 weeks to finish the dress and shoes. She really wanted to help with everything, but she is rarely ever home...so what could have taken me a few days, turned into weeks...but I'm so glad I got to work on this project with her! She had a great time at the dance and everyone loved her outfit!
The Finished Outfit!! So Cute!
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