Anticipation

On December 14th, the list of possible assignments for Martin and I to move to next summer was released. I would like to say that I was excited about this, but in reality… I was terrified. The assignment process is stressful enough as it is, but now with two people and two careers to consider, it is especially daunting. I worried that we wouldn’t have any bases in common, or that the only ones we had in common would not be good career choices for one or both of us. Obviously, our first priority is to be together, but in an ever-downsizing Air Force, it is important that we both fill certain job types within our career fields.

When the lists dropped, the biggest shock was the sheer number of jobs available, especially for me. Previous cycles have listed about 20-30 jobs, yet this cycle had over 100 listings. I never thought I would say there were “too many” possibilities, but this was ridiculous. Trying to shave that list down to jobs that were “right” for me was an overwhelming task, which I had to put off until the weekend when I actually had time to read all of the details and descriptions. Martin narrowed his list down pretty quickly, then we spent several days talking over the pros and cons of jobs and bases that we liked/disliked.

We turned in our requests yesterday, and after they go through our leadership, will be sent to the personnel center for decisions to be made and released in the Jan-Mar time frame. I’m not going to talk about what we requested… not because of “jinxing” (don’t believe in that) or anything, just that it is really pointless to lay out all the possibilities and talk about all the locations when it is such a short amount of time until the official announcement. I think we made good decisions about what to request based on what was available for both of us, and we just have to hope that the assignments officers agree.

This is sort of surreal in one aspect because I can’t believe we are talking about leaving England. Living here has been a dream come true, and I want the last 7 months to go by as slowly as possible, not rush them with talk of our next assignment. Strangely enough, however, all of this assignment talk has also made me think a lot recently about my time at Barksdale. Maybe it is because I have been talking to two of my mentors from there to ask their advice about my next job, but I have just had a lot of flashbacks to all of the good times I had at the 26th Operational Weather Squadron.

You all know by now that I was not excited to be assigned to Barksdale, and I was definitely not a fan of the Shreveport area, but I truly LOVED my squadron. Especially my second year there, when I had the chance to be a flight commander and Lt Col D was the squadron commander. He was an absolute phenomenon as a commander, the type of person who comes into a unit and transforms it along with all of the people in it just by the example he set and the things he empowered us to accomplish. I don’t think I really understood the concept of being the type of officer that your people want to follow into battle until I saw it in action with him. I would be the first to say that I would go anywhere to have the opportunity to work for him again. I am so blessed to have been given the chance to be a flight commander when I did at Barksdale. I worked with so many incredible people who taught me so much, and I wouldn’t give that up for the world.

It was amazing to watch the camaraderie and morale soar among squadron members under Lt Col D. I have so many treasured memories from that year. There was the group of us who decided to train for a half marathon and did increasingly long runs at morning PT, at some points being dropped off in the woods at the back of the base in the dark, following glow sticks dropped by our first sergeant (our fastest runner) so we didn’t get lost. There was the continuous joking and laughter with my amazing officemates (Maj W, MSgt R, and MSgt M) who made every day a good one, no matter how stressed or frustrated we were. There was the group I went skydiving with to re-enlist an airman while jumping from 14,000 feet. There were the camping trips in Texas with all the officers for professional development sessions. We started doing field training at a nearby Army site and I learned to drive a HUMVEE.

I could go on and on, but the point is, I had an incredible time and my life is better thanks to people at a place I never wanted to go in the first place. And I think that remembering all of these things is helping me have a peace about our next assignment, wherever it may be. I believe that God has a purpose for everything that happens in my life and every situation I am placed in. I also believe in Ephesians 3:20, that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”. Even if I am disappointed in my next job or our next location, God already knows the joy I will experience in the future. While I was upset about being assigned to Barksdale, God already knew the adventures I would have here at Lakenheath, and that I would meet the man who will be my husband.

So for that reason, I am no longer waiting for news of our assignment in fear, but in anticipation of our next exciting step in life. I am so thankful for the blessing of having Martin home for the holidays after all of the time we were apart this year. I can’t wait to marry him next July and move into our first home together… wherever it is!

Good List:
1. Martin. I love the fact that I am teased by co-workers for being “young and in love” when I talk about how excited I am to spend time with him every day… I plan on that being true forever! :-)
2. Flavored Egg Nog. We were able to try Gingerbread and Cinnamon before the commissary ran out. Both yummy!
3. 4-Day Christmas Break. Enough said.
4. Snow! No accumulation yet, but we got flurries twice last week and it was beautiful while falling.
5. New Year’s trip. Berlin is booked! We will celebrate the arrival of 2012 at the biggest street party in Germany… excited!
6. Football. Penn State is in the TicketCity Bowl on Jan 2nd against Houston… stupid name but great opponent, should be a good game.
7. Skype. In the last week, we have talked to both sets of parents, Lisa in California, and Martin’s aunt in Indiana. We plan to “see” everyone again over the Christmas break!
8. New Daughtry CD. I also must thank Martin at this point for fixing my car speaker so I can actually listen to it! :-)
9. Surprises. Can’t wait for Martin to open his gifts on Christmas! ;-)
10. USPS. My mom sent a package of gifts on Thursday and it arrived here on Monday. Miracle!