Days 176- 178

Happy Wednesday y'all! And oh what a happy day it is 🤗. But before I spill the beans- let's recap the week, shall we!?

Monday was a pretty laid back day for the senior cadets. Apparently the juniors had Monday off and get a 3 day weekend every month. I personally think that's unfair considering the stories I heard about that class- but in the words of J- it gets the Staff Officers' attention off of them! Monday morning they had PT, then the same class all day (I forgot what class it was though- sorry!). After dinner, they were supposed to have their DUI test, but no one showed up to administer it, I guess they were on vacation 😝. J and I didn't get to talk too much on Monday since they were waiting to take the test but never did. Once he got back to his room, he still had to do his nightly routine of shining his brass & boots, then get ready for bed. Tuesday was a little more action packed for the seniors. They spent the day going through numerous scenarios- not for a grade or anything, just for extra practice. After they finished through those, J said they watched a movie then took their DUI test that was scheduled for the day before. J got his results back: 95%!! I worked Tuesday, so by the time I was off, J was already done with his nightly "chores" and getting ready for bed. We were able to text for a little bit and he let me know that he was scheduled for high speed today! I asked if he was nervous and he said he wasn't, he didn't want his nerves to get the best of him so he chose to feel confident. We talked for a little bit more about house stuff then decided it was time for bed. Today I woke up to my daily "good morning" texts from J. I woke up early enough to respond to him, so I wished him luck on his high speed test. I spent the day relaxing/ looking into more things for our house then went out for a run around 2pm (about the same time as J's test). It helped keep my mind off of how it's going and helped time fly by. I heard from J around 5:30pm and he let me know THAT HE PASSED!!!!! It's such a HUGE stress off of both our shoulders because high speed was the LAST really important test left from now until graduation. He called me on his way to dinner, him and his fellow area office cadets met one of their sergeants for dinner to talk about break in, policies, etc. I was soooooooooo happy when he told me, that when he hung up, I did cry a little bit. It's been such an interesting but fun adventure and it's slowly wrapping up. Only 10 more academy days until I get to see J in that handsome tan uniform and shiny new badge! 

178 days down.. 16 to go!!! 

💚 AJ

Days 173- 175

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend, but please don't forget what Memorial Day is all about: it's not about the sales and the picnics but honoring the those who lost their lives for our country 🇺🇸

Anywho, J and I had a pretty busy weekend! He surprised me on Friday by getting home around the same time I got home from work (4:30pm!!). Apparently they were allowed to sign out once they were done with their accident investigation test, so J signed out right around 2:30pm. We both changed, and enjoyed the fact that it doesn't get dark until about 9pm here, and went out for a run together! After our run, we all got ready and went out for a belated birthday dinner! Saturday was the super busy day. We all woke up and got ready and went out furniture shopping! We ended up buying a dining table, couch and some other small things! After our fun filled, money spending day, J and I worked out in the garage, then  just relaxed for the remainder of the night and ended up watching Rings 😳. Sunday morning, J and I went out for a run, then finished up his laundry and packed up everything he'll need for the next couple of weeks. This weekend J won't be coming home, he has his ride along with his future area office!!! He's super excited to see the area and meet some of the officers he'll be working alongside with. I'm excited to hear about it as well! 

We are SO close guys!! 3 weeks to go (technically 2 considering graduation week is filled with more transition classes and graduation practice) and only 13 academy days left!!!

175 days down.. 19 to go!!

💚 AJ

Days 171 & 172

You guys know what tomorrow is!? FRIDAY! Which means we'll have ANOTHER week in the books! These past 2 days were actually pretty exciting for J and some of the cadets! Yesterday, the senior cadets had their LAST fitting in their tans 😍. J was pretty excited to put them on one last time until graduation (fingers crossed.. Knock on wood.. All of the above). After their fitting, they had Spanish, then 6 or so hours of DUI investigation! J had Liberty so he called me when he was free and told me some exciting news.. He had his first day of high speed!! J said he didn't pass the high speed test on his first try, but he's confident he'll be able to do it next time. He was telling me how crazy, but awesome it was. He's never driven that fast before, so he said it took a little getting used to. We texted for a little bit longer, then next thing you know, J passed out early. And by early, I mean before 9pm 😝. Today the 2nd group of senior cadets had DUI investigation ALL day. However after dinner.. They had what's called their "wet lab". Let's just say, the cadets get to practice their DUI training on some real life drunk people 😎  J and I talked for a little bit once I got off work, but then he wanted to get to bed early again. They have a pretty big test tomorrow that's scheduled for the entire day, so he wanted to be well rested for it. ITS ALMOST GRADUATION DAY GUYS! 14 academy days left!!

172 days down.. 22 days to go!

💚 AJ

Days 169 & 170

Happy Tuesday everyone! It's been a pretty normal couple of days for the cadets still. Yesterday, the seniors had a late night again, so J and I didn't get to talk much. They had PT in the morning, then Spanish, boxing, DUI and vehicle code. J said boxing was fun because he's never done it before, but he felt like he "lost the fight". I laughed at him and said he better step it up next time. He did say his nose was a little tender since he did get punched in the face a couple of times. Luckily- they wore helmets. 
Today, I woke up just after midnight to a text from J wishing me a happy birthday. This is probably my first birthday since we've been together (12 years 😱) that we haven't been together on my birthday. But that's okay, because we'll celebrate this weekend! Once again, J had another late night at the academy. They had accident investigation all day, then their stress resiliency class. I called J after work and he said he felt bad he couldn't make my birthday special. I told him it was okay- we'll have plenty of birthdays in the future. We talked about our days and he sent me a picture of what they received today... GRADUATION TICKETS!! I was so stoked about that! We continued to talk about our day, and our plans for the weekend then I let J go so I could eat & he could finish getting all of his stuff ready. I'm so excited guys! Getting those tickets just show we're slowly getting there! 16 academy days left!!

170 days down.. 24 to go!!

💚 AJ

Days 164- 168

Happy Sunday everyone! Ahh, so much to catch up on!

Good news... WE GOT THE HOUSE WE WANTED!!!!!
It is SUCH a relief to have that all figured out and squared away now. I know I haven't kept up with my blogging as frequently as I used to- there's just so much going on now! It's exciting though! Anyways....

Wednesday night, J had liberty so we talked a lot. I told him we got the house we were wanting really badly, and he was super excited to find that out! We started looking at couches and coffee tables and all the good stuff! He told me about his day, and they had range for 4 hours and accident investigation for another 4. They also had PT in the morning, so he was a little tired from the long day. Thursday they had another late night because of their accident investigation class. They had Spanish in the morning and then DUI class in the afternoon. J said during their Spanish class, they were all just practicing arresting each other and giving each other directions in Spanish. When they felt comfortable, they were able to go into the other classroom and take their test.. J passed! I kind of assumed he would because he took Spanish all throughout high school and can actually speak it pretty well to begin with. Later that evening, J told me that the sergeant at his new office emailed them, and told them to text him their current mailing address. We're both pretty interested in what he may be sending- but we think it's an invitation to the welcome BBQ they have for the new cadets-turned- officers. On Friday, the seniors had a pool session in the morning, then vehicle code in the afternoon. They were released early, so J was able to make the drive home earlier and get here faster! The rest of the evening, we all hung out and relaxed and scarfed down some delicious pizza. 

Saturday was a SUPER busy day. J and I woke up super early and got a run in together, then got ready for the day. We went to so many furniture stores to look at a sofa, coffee table and everything else we need for our new home. I must say- and I'm sorry if I offend anyone- but it's really annoying when you're just walking around and trying out sofas and constantly being stalked in the process. I mean- can't a couple and a mom just try out some sofas in peace!? Anyways, we found the sofa we want and are super excited to add it to our place! We went to Costco afterwards and got a really cute matching carpet and mat for the backyard. Today was a pretty lazy day. J and I woke up late, then headed out to breakfast with my parents. J got this HUGE skillet, and he didn't even finish all of it! That's pretty shocking considering J ALWAYS finishes his food haha. After breakfast, I helped J fold his laundry and pack up, then he headed back to Sac, and I went to work. When J got back, he went into IKEA to look at some other essentials, and we added it to our "to buy for our home" list. 

Time sure has been flying this past month, and now we only have 4 weeks left! Everything is slowly starting to fall into place and I feel so fortunate about that. Everyone- please keep your fingers crossed that I hear back from some of the hospitals I've been applying to- mama needs a new job in the new city haha!!! Only 18 academy days left you guys!!!!!

168 days down.. 26 to go!! 

💚 AJ

Days 162 & 163

ONE MONTH LEFT! 

Oh my goodness guys, we have one month from today until the big day! I am so excited and hope these next couple of weeks fly by. 🙏🏽🙏🏽  Soo anyways, Monday was a pretty busy day for the seniors. They started out with PT and J said the PT officer told them "you're going to run at your own pace from here to the tower" so of course, J got super happy and booked it! After that they had a bunch of classes: Information systems, crowd control then accident investigation. Their AI class went on after dinner, so with that and J needing to shine his boots and brass, he had a semi late night. We talked for a little bit and I shared with him the exciting details of my day.. Haha just kidding, my day was pretty boring. I continued to look for houses and fill out paperwork and then continued to look for a job. That's the most stressful part honestly- trying to find a job. 🙄
Today was more of the usual as well. They had graduation practice, Spanish and accident investigation. When I got off work, I called J and he was cleaning his gun. They have to turn them in tomorrow for their final inspection and cleaning and then when they get it back.. IT'S THEIRS!!! They also got their written reports they did last week, and J passed with a 95.5%! We talked a little more about our days and the weather (it was snowing in the mountains again! IN MAY!). Just 22 academy days left! 

163 days down.. 31 to go! 

💚 AJ

Days 157- 161

What a crazy last couple of days! Between house hunting and job hunting, I feel like the days aren't long enough. But at the same time, the days are flying by which means we're getting that much closer to graduation. Let's see.. Wednesday was another academy day for the cadets. They had PMA in the morning, range for 4 hours, then accident investigation for 4 hours. J didn't have restriction, so we talked for a long time Wednesday night and went over a list houses and apartments to look at over the weekend. Thursday they had vehicle code for 4 hours, accident investigation for 4 hours, then a scenario test. J partnered up with one of his roommates and they passed! Friday they had PT in the morning, accident investigation, PMA, then 4 hours of Spanish. I got off work at 4pm, picked up my mom, then headed to Sac! We picked up J just outside the academy gates, then headed to his brothers house. We drove through some really pretty areas and it got me REALLY excited to start looking for a home. We got to J's brothers place, and hung out for a little bit then grabbed some delicious dinner. Saturday we woke up pretty early, had breakfast, then began our search! The first 2 places did NOT go as planned- 1 house was all of a sudden not available, and the next apartment complex totally cat fished us (looked NOTHING like the pictures). We were extremely disappointed but didn't want to let that define the rest of the day. The next places we looked at were all awesome, so we ended the day pretty happy. We got back to J's brothers, filled out all of our applications then went out for a night on the town. We ate at this super trendy outdoor Brazilian restaurant then went to this dessert place that mixes ice cream with cereal AND serves you a donut with it. So delicious! We got back to the house, masked our faces, then called it a night. Sunday, J and I woke up around 6:30am and went for a run together, then got ready to drive back. We dropped J off back at the academy, then booked it home so I could make it to work. It was a super quick weekend, but I really think we got a lot done in those couple of days! We have 24 academy days left guys! 5 weeks to go! Ahhhh! 

161 days down.. 33 to go!!

💚 AJ

Days 155 & 156

Holy cow guys, am I feeling a little stressed! We have just over a month until graduation and I feel like there is sooo much to do. I need to pack what I have here at my parents house, finalize everything for our family's graduation celebration weekend, find a place for J and I to live AND find a new job 😬. Ahh. Luckily this weekend my mom and I are driving to Sac to meet up with J then spending Saturday looking at some houses and apartments as a back up plan. I really don't want to live in another apartment, but there are just so many houses that either don't have a refrigerator/ washer or dryer, or want sooo much personal information before even LOOKING at a house that J and I don't feel comfortable giving them that info. Plus, we really want a backyard for our dog to just run around and play in. But in the end, as long as J and I have our own place to call home and come back to after a long day, I'll be happy. 
Anyways, the past 2 days haven't been too crazy for J at the academy. Monday they had crowd control, information systems and vehicle code. They had vehicle code after dinner, so it was a late night for J. He did say they got to light flares and lay down cones haha. Tuesday they had 4 hours of Spanish then 4 hours of DUI investigation. After dinner, J and some other cadets going to the same office, met with a couple staff officers who have worked at the same office too! They gave them advice and insight on how to survive break in and become successful officers. I thought that was pretty awesome and just goes to show that they really do want every cadet to graduate and become successful. 
We're soooooo close y'all. Hopefully after this weekend, we can lock in a home and check that off the list! 6 weeks to go! 27 academy days left!!!

156 days down.. 38 to go!!

💚 AJ

Days 150- 154

What a crazy last couple of days it's been! But SO MUCH FUN! Wednesday morning I flew to the OC for my best friends wedding and it was amazing! Because I was helping her with last minute details, J and I didn't get to talk much Wednesday- Friday, but it was okay. Wednesday when I got there, I helped her to just calm her nerves. We're both really similar in our personalities so I knew exactly what she was thinking and how fast her mind was going. Thursday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. We all went out to this really nice Italian restaurant and laughed, cried, and drank a ridiculous amount of wine 😜. I stayed with my Bff at this really cute beach cottage and the next morning.. The party began! We woke up early, gathered everything we needed and waited for the hair & make up crew to arrive. The rest of the wedding party, moms and my bff's daughter arrived and we all danced, snapped pictures, and drank more wine and champagne. The photographer arrived and we took some pictures, changed into our dresses and headed to the venue! We all watched as B (the bride/ bff) changed into her wedding dress and had her mom and daughter help her with her shoes and jewelry. She did a first look with her dad and waterworks came on full force!! We took some fun pictures outside then went back into the bridal suite and drank MORE champagne and danced! We played baby got back and sang and danced with B then took our positions!!! The ceremony was perfect, and B was such a beautiful bride! The groom is Jewish so at the end of the ceremony, he stomped on glass and we all yelled MASEL TOV! The reception was also such a blast. We walked in then introduced the new Mr. & Mrs. M!!!! They did the traditional Jewish dance where the 2 of them were lifted up in chairs and we circled around them! We all danced the ENTIRE night and just had such a blast! 
I flew back home Saturday morning and just spent the day relaxing, catching up on sleep and trying to get rid of this annoying cough. J and I texted each other throughout the day just catching up and talking about B's wedding. Today I had to work, but when I got off, J and I talked on the phone while we looked at more housing options. I'm starting to feel a little stressed because everything is just so expensive and so many houses don't have a refrigerator so that's another big purchase we'll have to make once we move. I know everything will work out in the end, it's just currently a lot to do/ deal with. Luckily I don't work tomorrow so I'm going to make a lot of phone calls and try to schedule as many house visits as I can! Only 6 more weeks and 29 academy days y'all!!! AHHHHHH

154 days down.. 40 to go!! 

💚 AJ

Days 148 & 149

Happy Tuesday y'all! These past 2 days, I haven't gotten to talk to J too much, and will only continue since I'm flying to Orange County tomorrow morning for my best friends wedding 🤗🤗. I am so so sooooo excited! I haven't seen her in a while, so it'll be nice to have some BFF time and help her out with her big day! Monday was a pretty standard day for J and the seniors. They started their day with PT, than had vehicle code and Spanish. They did get introduced to wrestling, so you know what that means: the next time I see J, I'm going to become a guinea pig and he's going to practice those new moves on me and slightly show off. But you know what, I'm okay with that because I've never seen J act so excited and talk about something with such enthusiasm before. He really was meant for this job, and I'm glad he's actually liking it. We talked for a little bit on the phone, but most of our night was spent texting each other back and forth and sending houses we found. I think we've finally found a city we want to focus our search on. It is a little farther, but J has said he doesn't mind commuting because safety is his number one priority and he doesn't want to live in the area he patrols. I totally agree with that! 
Today, the first half of the cadet's day was spent attending the annual CHP Memorial. After that, they had vehicle code and vehicle pullovers. When I finally got to talk to J, he said his day was good, but HOT. The weather is starting to finally heat up in Sac, and J isn't a big fan of hot weather. One of his roommates likes to tease him because he likes hot weather- I swear sometimes they act like little boys 😂. I had work, and still had to pack, so I didn't get to talk to J on the phone, but we did text each other and sent more houses to look at. J is going to try to look at some this weekend so fingers crossed we find something we like and is affordable! I'll try to continue to write while I'm in the OC, but if I can't, I hope everyone reading this has a good weekend!! 32 academy days left!!!!!!!

149 days down.. 45 to go!!

💚 AJ

Days 146 &147

Yay, it's May! Now I get to officially say "It's my birthday month" to J as an excuse for a lot of things 😋. So anyways, on Friday we found out our area office, so this past weekend J and I spent a lot of time looking for potential houses to rent. The area we're moving to is a little on the expensive side, but luckily we found a good handful of places that we like! Saturday we did take a break from house hunting and took our dogs to the dog park. It was a beautiful day out and felt nice to finally have some sun! Later that evening, my dad cooked ribs for dinner, and we all celebrated with some margaritas! Sunday, J and I woke up early and went for a run together. We finished up some last minutes things then went back to looking at houses. J is debating going and actually looking at them next weekend since he will be in the area. I'll be out of town next weekend for my best friends wedding, and because it's on a Friday, unfortunately J won't be able to be my date. So he's going to go to his brothers place next weekend instead. J did share something with me that made me super proud of him! Earlier in the academy, each company voted on different recognitions. On Friday, J was called, not TO the Staff Office, but called IN to the staff office. So of course he said he was a little nervous. When he announced himself, he was told that his company had voted him most promising cadet! I was so happy to hear this- but I told him he still needs to focus and work hard to graduate. Even harder in fact because his company mates want see big things from him. Now that we know where we're going, everything is becoming so real, but there's also a weight lifted from our shoulders. I felt like there was SO much to do, but nothing could get done because we were still in area office limbo. But now that we know, I can start to make my to do list and get to checking things off. We're getting there guys!! 7 weeks to go, 34 academy days to go!

147 days down.. 47 days to go!

💚 AJ