On his own...

The day has finally come!  

My man is totally on his own. :)

Several of the things he is looking forward to:

• Controlling the temperature in his cruiser
• Listening to the radio station he wants (or doesn't want) to
• Being able to stop when he needs to in order to "relieve" himself (lol, that one made me laugh!)
• The ability to follow his own methods and systems!

His FTO's last day on Rev's crew was actually last week. It was bittersweet for Rev... he was glad that he was with his FTO until practically the end of his training.

I'm excited for him... and nervous too.  It was a comfort to me to know that he had his FTO backing him up. Now, I just have to trust that he knows what he is doing and that he will make the right choices on his own. I have to trust his training and trust him. 

I'm truly more excited than worried... this is what he has been waiting for!

Cruiser

So, Rev gets to pick up his cruiser today!

We drove by fleet last night - he just wanted to see if there was a plate with his number on it. Sure enough! 

It's older, a bit banged up, and Rev thinks he has driven it before.... to pull the speed trailer!  LOL

Still.... it's all his!

We are going to ride together to pick it up in a couple hours.  Hope the smell isn't too bad, these cruisers have a reputation for stinking!  :)

The best story yet!

So, I've heard so many stories from Rev already. But this one tops them all.

They get a call about a man who drove up a mountain that a nearby cell phone tower was one. This guy wrecks his car and takes off.

Rev gets on the scene, the firefighters explain that they found articles of clothing littering the path.

Rev and his FTO get to the top of the ridge and are looking.  Rev gets a hunch, walks towards a small ledge and looks down.

A man with shoulder length stringy hair is running down the hillside.... butt naked!

"Sir, I found him." He calls back to his FTO.

The man trips on a stone, goes flying head-over-heels through the air - arms and legs a-flailing - to the bottom of the hill.

Rev handcuffed him, found heroin needles in the guys discarded pants pockets, took him to jail, booked him, and sanitized his cuffs (which the perp was supposedly sitting on and scratching his naked bum with. yuck!).

Best story yet!

Moving....

So....

Rev and I have been talking and crunching numbers.

We are going to put our house up for sale.

It is more house than we can afford, and honestly more than we currently need.

This is the best way, but it sure isn't easy. We built this house with our own hands, it took us 2+ years of Rev and I both working - him full time 55 hours a week - and then working on the house in every spare minute. Only a handful of things were contracted out... the rest was blood, sweat, and tears!

However, we did not know when we built it that:

1. Rev would be out of a job for a year
2. We would both be changing careers (to follow our dreams)
3. We would end up owing more for it than what we thought when we started building

It is going to be ok.... It stinks that we are having to essentially start over, but we are young and will bounce back. We knew this wasn't our dream home and that we would eventually want to move to somewhere with some property.... so we are just believing this to be a stepping stone to that goal

We are going to look for a townhouse or apartment (hopefully get a LEO discount), and work on getting debt free. After that (we are estimating 2 years) we will begin saving for our next home which we will save to pay cash down for.  

We are 24 and 26.... we will bounce back :) 

Murder Mystery...

Went with Rev and our best friends to a Murder Mystery Dinner Drama tonight... what fun!  Of course, the guys were eating it up (Rev's best friend is a cop too). They kept going back and forth with each other about the clues and what they meant...

Rev's best friend solved the murder and got an award!

My poor baby was so disappointed! But hey.....

... he IS a rookie!!!   :)

Less Irritated...

Things have been SO much better since Rev's been on days!

I can see this playing out... I will love days. I will put up with nights. It won't be that bad...

I've noticed that he likes to be home a lot more during days. And it is so very very nice to be able to go to sleep with him by my side every night. (Now if only I can get on day schedule, it would be great! LOL)

~

We did our budget this past Wednesday. Yikes.

Yikes.  Yikes.  Yikes.  (1 is bad, 3 Yikes is really bad.)

It appears that, in order to make ends meet he is going to have to pick up some hours elsewhere as will I.
We got ourselves in a financial mess early in our marriage and are now paying the fiddler (or piper or whoever the fellow is... we are paying him!)

He makes enough to pay our mortgage and utilities.. and that is about it. I've been going through a rough time with the photography business... winters are always tough. It's picking up but I'm going to pick up a part-time job to help until we get out of this debt hole that we have ourselves in.

We don't live extravagant lifestyles, our mortgage is average, we own our vehicles.... but Rev was unemployed while he was going to the Academy and I'm still in the first 2 years of my business. It just all came on so quickly and now we owe just about everybody it seems!

We decided in January that we were going to follow Dave Ramsey's plan to a Debt Free life... so we are on the path and are excited about actually doing this - it is just real frustrating when you work so hard and it still doesn't seem to be enough. You know?

~~~
I was so shocked when I found out what our boys actually make. I mean, really. It's pathetic.
It makes me want to shake these sports players who play these games and hold out for another 5 million in their contract. Seriously?

Not to be melodramatic or sound like the whining wife here.... but this society is MESSED UP!

A police officer has to take a second job just to put food on the table.... while the baseball player whines and complains about not having enough to buy that second home in Martha's Vineyard and that 5th sports car he so badly wants. It's just sad. It makes me sad.
*sigh*
~~~

But you know what?? With God, all things are possible!!!

After we had the moment of truth (where we thought we were going to have to sell the house, live out of our cars, and eat mini wieners out of a can... melodramatic me again!), we talked it over, and now we know what we have to do for the next 4-5 years to get out of this hole. And we did it all without knocking each other out or raising our voices! We have a budget, we have a plan, and we can do it!

We then had one of my favorite parts so far of our 6 year marriage. We went down by the lake at his parent's house... away from everything. We sat and held each other, quietly talking, and then Rev began to pray for us.

He prayed that God would forgive us for being improper stewards of our money, that He would bless our efforts and give us strength and patience on this journey.

We want to be a blessing to Him and to His kingdom, and so we gave it all to Him right there by the lake. Holding each other and knowing that God is holding us in His arms too. We will do our part, and we are confident that God will do His. He has never let us down!!

Irritated...

Last night was one of those nights. Rev was off, and decided to go work out instead of staying home with me... on his night off. He was gone until almost 5 am!

Granted, he was with his best friend (who's wife is MY best friend) who is also a cop. They don't drink and aren't party-animals, so I know they were probably simply playing xbox and goofing off.

Still, I was wide awake at home. Thanks to Rev getting me on HIS sleeping schedule (argggh)!

I don't want to be one of those wives... so I feel guilty for even feeling like this.

I just want him to want to be here on his nights off. Can't he find something to do here? I don't have any problem finding more than enough work/busy stuff to keep me occupied. And it wasn't like I was sleeping... I was awake!

*sigh* Wish I had a manual right about now....

Thoughts on Dust.

They say dusting is necessary.

However, dusting has always perplexed me.

Unless you are using a wet cloth or vacuuming dust up... aren't you just moving it from one location to another in your home?

Like, oh I don't know... the air?

I've been on a freak cleaning spree since 9pm. It is 2:30am.

I conquered and killed much dust :)

End of Watch: 03-08-11

In memory of our fallen officer, John Perry.

My heart and prayers are with his family and friends.

Life can be so cruel...

Back from Cozumel!

My dad took my aunt, younger sister and me on a 4-day cruise to Cozumel, MX this past week. Awesome!
It was my first cruise, and my first time out of the country. We went snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the Cozumel beaches, basked in the sun at the resort, and ate until we couldn't eat any more on the ship! I never want to see a buffet again!!! lol

It was phenomenal and an amazing experience. ( I loved bargaining at the little Mexican shops!) I'd really like to take my next cruise with my hubby. Maybe the east coast in the fall?

I missed my man - 3 days of not hearing his voice was waaaaaay to long. Much longer than we have ever gone without speaking! But he had the sweetest idea that turned out to be my saving grace on the trip; we wrote each other a letter for each day we would be away :)  Cheesy I know, but it was absolutely one of the loveliest things we have done for each other.  I love that when it comes down to it, my rough and tough all gruff cop can be a sensitive, gentle, adoring teddy bear :)

I'm at home now while he is finishing out his shift.... he should be home in about 3.5 hours. I know I should sleep - I'm just so excited to see him!

First Night....

Tonight is Rev's first shift on nights...

I had my sister stay the night with me!

Still awake... but doing good :)

Christmas... AND anniversary

Did the math today.

Rev is working on our anniversary, Christmas Eve, AND Christmas this year.

Bummer.

I need some good news. F'real.

Bummer.....

Just found out that Rev can't go with me to Cali this July :(

I booked a destination wedding, they are flying me and an assistant out at the end of July for 2 days for the event.... we were going to make it our vacation this year (just stay an extra night or two) since we won't be able to afford a nice one this year otherwise.

So, we thought we had it all figured out so that he would only have to take (one) unpaid day off.

Not so.

Come to find out it's not "2 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off."  It's "2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off". 

Oh my gosh.. just kill me now! How am I ever going to keep up with these kind of hours????

Anyway. 

Yeah so he won't be able to go. He'd have to take 3 days off and that just doesn't make sense for us right now. 

My sister will be able to go with me... she normally photographs my weddings with me anyway (she is awesome!). It won't be the same though. 

Dang 2 off 3 off 3 on stupid scheduling messed it all up!!!

Another First Day...

It seems like there are a lot of "First Days" in law enforcement.

First day in the Detectives department, first day on the new crew, first day on the new shift.... It goes on and on!

Today was Rev's first day in full dress :)  Gosh, my guy looks good in that uniform! Like.... smokin' good!

His first day in uniform out on the beat with his FTO, and is now safely on his way back home.

Tonight we have his dad's 50th birthday party. He originally was scheduled to work tonight  (would have been his first night shift)... he got some flack when he mentioned it to his Cpl.... a little ribbing about being the new guy and already asking for a day off lol.  He was going to still work, but his Cpl told him to take the night to be with his family.  I don't know how if the family really understands that it was A BIG DEAL that he got this night off!

I know there will be multitudes of family functions in our future that he will have to miss, but for now I'm thankful that he will be at this one. It will mean a lot to his dad (who is celebrating a year of being cancer free!).

First day in uniform, first time getting off for a family function :)  It's been a good day!

Mrs. Rev :)

A year and a half ago we found out that my husband was accepted into the police academy. We had been married a little over 4 years... after much prayer and guidance-seeking my husband applied to the academy and got it!

He did so well throughout the year - he took night classes - becoming Sgt. of the class and receiving the physical fitness award, academic achievement award, and becoming a member of the Deans List.  While in the academy, one of his teachers pointed out that he looks a bit like the Reverend from the HBO show "True Blood". The name Rev stuck.

Rev graduated in December, and by the end of January had a full time job as a Deputy Office.

It has been a lot of give-and-take. It's put some strain on us, but I think that it has made us stronger and our marriage is stronger at this moment than it has ever been. I'm so proud of him and what he has already accomplished.

During this time I've developed and grown my photography business which allows me to set my own hours and be my own boss. This is AWESOME for us - it allows us time to be together while still having our own careers. I photograph local and destination weddings, which gives us the opportunity to travel often together.

After saying all that.... I am so new to this.

There are times when I want to wake up.... to know that my husband will be besides me in bed, not out patroling the streets.

There are moments that I'm very lonely. I have 3 dogs to keep me company, but since I work from home I am by myself the majority of the time. I love my pups, but conversations tend to be one-sided!

Sometimes I feel like I don't understand Rev enough.... but then, as much as he shares with me and tries to keep me updated on his life when I'm not around... there are things that I almost don't want to know. Does that even make sense?

So this is the journey that we are on.

I never dreamed or imagined that I would be married to a cop. Yet, here I am. I am in love with a handsome wonderful man, who wears a badge and goes out on the streets to keep both my neighbors/loved ones and idiotic/stupid strangers safe. Whether they want him there or not.

I haven't been the wife of a cop long enough to deal with the many issues, joys, successes, failures, fears that I know must come along with the title.... but I know that we can make it through anything. We have faith in God, and faith in this relationship of ours that he has cultivated. With Him, all things are possible!

So this is my journal about my life. My life loving and living with a police officer.

Wait!......... I'm married to a cop????