Week 13

How far along? When this picture was taken, I was 13 weeks, 3 days (taken on February 8)

Maternity clothes? Not yet. I'm thankful to still be wearing all of my normal clothes. Not sure when that bump start to show...

Best moment so far? Seeing the heartbeat at week 10 was pretty amazing. Caleb and I were blown away by God's miracle...and I was still shocked that there is actually a baby growing inside of me.

Food cravings: Anything salty, as long as I can keep it down. NO EGGS. Gross.

Other symptoms: Just still dealing with nausea. I have been sick to my stomach (throwing up sometimes, but not constantly) since week 5. I thought it had gone away, but now it hits at night and periodically throughout the day when I least expect it. Other than that and being pretty tired, no other major symptoms.

Looking forward to: Being able to work out again. I can get to the gym about two times a week, but the smells are tough. With the nausea hitting at random times, it makes it difficult to have a productive workout!

What else is going on in life: We are still working on getting stuff in order for the move. All our military friends understand the pain of trying to PCS, and for some reason Aviano AB makes it especially difficult. We are praying that things won't be too stressful the next few weeks as we schedule packers/movers, check-outs, etc.

In Memory of Luc Gruenther

On January 28 during a training mission off the coast of Italy, Major Luc “Gaza” Gruenther’s F-16 fighter went down in bad weather.  His body was found several days later after a massive search by Italian and US personnel and assets. Luc leaves behind a wonderful wife, Cassy, who is expecting the birth of their first daughter, Serene, in the next couple of weeks. 

This has been a tragic and heart breaking event for our community here at Aviano. Cassy is a personal friend and incredible woman, and each one of us here has been truly touched by her and Luc. We have seen incredible support from the F16 community from every base, the Air Force and military communities in general, and family and friends located around the world. 

On Wednesday, February 6, Aviano hosted a memorial service on base to commemorate the life of Gaza. An avid outdoors man, dedicated husband and soon-to-be father, amazing pilot, and cherished friend, Gaza inspired all those that were blessed to meet him. Caleb and I are thankful to have known Gaza and will continue to pray for Cassy and baby Serene. We also praise God for such a loyal and strong community. The F16 community is small and spread across multiple continents, but it is a group of men and women dedicated to country and one another. We are truly blessed to call these people our military family.

Praise be to God, as Cassy went into labor on Thursday morning, February 7. Beautiful baby Serene entered the world early that morning, and as Cassy phrased it, "Luc's glorious light began to shine again." Both Mom and baby are doing great in this bittersweet time.

Please continue to pray for Cassy, Serene, the Gruenther family, and the men and women who knew and loved Gaza. This will continue to be difficult for all as we continue life with heavy hearts. If you are interested in donating to Serene's college fund or the Lucas Gruenther Memorial fund, please use the following site: http://www.lucasgruenther.com/node/1

"Praise You In This Storm"

By Casting Crowns

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

The number 1 moment of 2012...

1. Realizing we are going to be parents!!
   Wow! We're expecting! This news came as quite a shock, seeing as we weren't trying to conceive or planning for a family in the near future. But after the news was confirmed on December 6, our heads were spinning as plans and ideas were already changing. Things are still a little foggy regarding living arrangements in Korea and how and when I will finish my practicum hours for my masters, but we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God will continue to provide. It is kind of a scary blessing, but a wonderful blessing nonetheless! So be prepared to meet baby Cienski in August of 2013!

When we told our family, we decided it was important to capture the moment. We asked to do some family pictures, and get a few of just the parents. First, Caleb told everyone to say cheese...

"This time, everyone say Jordan's pregnant!"

They were confused at first and thought it was a joke. But here is the moment we reassured them we were serious...

 Those are some happy grandparents!!

Top 10 of 2012 (# 5-2)

5. The Balzhiser-Catuncan Nuptials
    In May, we were blessed to take a trip through Germany and Switzerland with my parents, ending with the beautiful wedding of our dear friends Greg and Monessa. We were so thankful they decided to have a destination wedding a stone's throw from our backyard! It was event not to be missed.
     When Lee and Linda arrived in Italy, we wasted no time and jumped on a train for the rail-trip of a lifetime! From Sacile to Munich, Munich to Berlin, an overnight train from Berlin to Interlaken, Interlaken to Zermatt, and then back home, we saw and met some of Europe's finest! The beer in Munich was incredible, the history in Berlin unrivaled, and watching Linda "rough-it" in our overnight train cabin was priceless.
     The trip concluded with Greg and Monessa's wedding. Held in Interlaken, this couple definitely wed in style! We were so honored and proud to be a part of their special day, and look forward to a time when the Air Force puts us back together (or at least on the same continent!).

A view from the dome in the Reichstag building, where the German Parliament meets

Brandenburg Gate

Inside the Pergamon Museum

Our little cabin in the overnight train!

The hotel and reception cite in Interlaken

Thun, a near by town to the hotel and Interlaken

With the beautiful couple

At the wedding

With the Matterhorn behind us

4. Holidays with Family
    Having Caleb's Aunt Beth and Uncle David living a hop, skip, and a jump from us, we were blessed to travel to Spain to be with them for both Easter and Thanksgiving in 2012. While our military family is an incredible group of people who we love dearly, spending time with family is something we cherish. Especially when that family is Beth and David. Their hospitality, kindness, and Beth's cooking are unrivaled! every moment we get to spend with these amazing people is a blessing! For Thanksgiving, we even had the best of both worlds as our sweet friends the Otts and Zimmermans traveled to Madrid with us. What a great year of family memories!

With Beth and David in Madrid at Thanksgiving (Beth and I in our matching coats that we bought one day apart without knowing!)

3. I am finished with my Master's Degree! Well...almost....
    This fall I completed the entirety of classroom work required for my Masters in Professional Counseling. It has been a looooong journey (more hours required in this masters than most postgraduate degrees), but I have loved each step of the way. Ok maybe not statistics... In order to finish this 60 hour program, however, I must complete around 1000 hours of practicum work in a clinical setting. So while I still need to find an intern/practicum position in order to fulfill all the degree requirements, the bulk of the work is complete. For anyone who as completed any type of demanding degree program, you know it's the small victories that count :)
     The next step is finding employment and completing the practicum hours. It is difficult to gain cooperation from agencies on overseas Air Forces bases to complete these hours, so a job in the US looks like the best option.

2. Our next assignment!
     In October we were informed that Caleb has received another Operational assignment to Osan Air Base in South Korea. The base, located about an hour from Seoul, houses F16's and A10's, keeping most pilots for either a 2-year remote assignment (meaning spouses, children, etc. do not accompany the active duty member), or a 3-year normal overseas tour. We are still in the process of deciding what "type" of assignment this will be and whether I will accompany Caleb to Korea or live back in the US in order to complete my practicum hours.

And the number 1 moment of 2012...