She is with him..

Hi everyone! The week of J's graduation, they had something called the spousal panel. During this panel, 3 CHP wives spoke about their experiences, answered questions and offered advice. One of the wives read this poem and I absolutely LOVED it. I tried to find it on the internet and had no luck. Luckily though, I reached out to one of the wives (and also the author of "A CHiP on my shoulder") via her Facebook page (how 2 love your cop) and she tracked down the poem for me! I wanted to share it with you guys because it is really awesome and I think you'll all enjoy it too! 

She is with him........

Some men choose a life of service and some a life of gain.

In gain there is some fortune, while in service there is some pain.

A life of service with the Highway Patrol is definitely no exception.

The good days and the bad days come, sometimes in succession. 

Through all the good times and the bad times, one thing still holds true,

Behind every man who wears a badge, there stands a woman too.

She’s with him when he makes the traffic stop for what could be his very last time.

She’s with him when he drives the speed of light and then has to stop on a dime.

She’s with him when he fights the drunk or takes the killer in.

She’s with him when he misses dinner, cleaning up someone else’s sin.

She’s with him when he helps the victim or comforts the one who cries.

She’s with him when he is the victim or when his brother officer dies. 

She’s with him when he faces the terror, though she wants him to turn around.

She’s with him when he runs up the stairs, so that everyone else makes it down.

She’s with him when he shields the innocent, when he could have run away.

She’s with him when he makes the decision to be the last out of harm’s way.

She has to doctor, coach and counsel him, and even cheer-lead too.

She gives her shoulder to cry on and her ear to listen whenever he needs her to.

With all she does to help him so, there’s one thing upon which she banks,

He’ll get all the pats on the back, the medals and the thanks. 

Although she’s always with him, she’s not out there with a gun.

If the department thought he needed a woman they would have issued him one.

At times she might seem crazy, but who wouldn't with her kind of life.

She’s the incentive for him to come home at night, she is.....

The CHP wife.

Poem Credit: Officer Mike Jones

💚 AJ

Week 1 of FTO ✔️

Hey guys!! Long time no post- it's been a BUSY couple of  weeks!! I left off talking about how amazing graduation was and how relaxing our weekend in Tahoe was. After that.. things got busy REAL quick! J, my family and I drove down to our hometown on Tuesday to get all of our things that were still down there. On Wednesday, June 21, J and I got married in a small intimate ceremony with some of our closest family members and friends. It was perfect. J and I have been together for 12 years now (since high school), and with everything coming up, we decided we couldn't wait any longer. We're still going to have our huge ceremony, but now we can officially begin our lives as Mr & Mrs Officer J 😎.

Anywhooo haha, we made the long drive back to our house on Friday and started the dreadful task of unpacking. Luckily we had my parents & sister, and J's parents in town with us. We spent that whole weekend unpacking, and on Sunday, J got EVERYTHING ready for his first day at the office. He had to be dressed and in the briefing room by 8am, so because of traffic, J wanted to leave by 5:30am ish. His area office hosted a little welcome lunch and I thought that was really nice! I got to meet the Captain, and different officers in charge of FTO and so on. My week was spent with my sister, who's staying with me for a couple weeks, unpacking and trying to organize everything. Today though, I started my new job, so it was nice to get away from unpacking. J's week was designed to be low stress and get them ready for their first day on the road. They did a lot of paperwork, re certified in PMA and the different guns, and drove around the area to start to get familiar with it. J's first day with his FTO is Sunday, so I know he's excited/ nervous!

To the new graduates- keep your heads up! FTO is going to be tough, but you didn't work this hard for the past 28 weeks to not succeed! Remember everything you learned, and have each other's back!

💚 AJ

Congratulations CTC IV-16

Congratultions to the new CHP Officers from CTC IV-16!!! May you all be safe while you're out there keeping us safe!!

Oh man guys! These past 5 or so days have been a BLAST and everything we thought it would be and more!!! Thursday I attended the spousal panel and got to experience lunch with J in the "chow hall". It was actually a REALLY delicious lunch and J laughed and told me this is a rarity and it is NOT how they eat on a daily basis. The spousal panel was also really interesting and very I nformative on the break-in phase of their career. We were luckily enough to have 3 CHP wives come in and talk to us about their experience. Luckily for me, I didn't feel too overwhelmed with information because J would constantly keep me in the loop or educate me on certain things. I will say though that the 1 thing that really stuck with me was the fact that all 3 women told us that it is NOT all about the officers. We as the wives/ husbands/ significant others also need to be taken care of and if our officers are being assholes (one of the wives words, not mine HAHA), they need to know. Fortunately I'm blessed to have a really awesome relationship with J, but I will definitely be keeping that in the back of my mind 😉. Looking back at the seminar and all of the speakers, I can say whole heartily that the CHP really is an awesome organization and that they really want all of their officers to succeed. When everything was done, I went with J to his room and helped him pack the last of his things and we headed home. The rest of the day was spent packing for our weekend Tahoe trip and entertaining family. All of our family members were arriving Thursday and wanted to see our house, so we just had everyone meet there.

Friday, aka GRADUATION DAY, we all woke up super early to get ready! J left the house around 4:30am to get to the academy and shine his boots & brass one last time, then get ready. We left around 5:30am, had breakfast at the Dennys near the academy, then headed in!!! The first "event" was the inspection by the commissioner and the first time we'd get to see J in his uniform. Luckily for us, J was also the B Co. guidon, so it was VERY easy to spot him. When A Co. was getting inspected, I spotted B co. in the distance and patiently waited for them to march in and wait. I walked a little closer to get a better look at J and instantly started tearing up. He looked SO HANDSOME in that uniform he worked so hard to earn. When it was their turn, I must say their marching was THE BEST 😎. We watched and snapped pictures as the Commissioner and other important dudes walked up to J, shook his hand and congratulated them and asked him questions. Once he was done and marched away, I showed our family where J would be for the pinning and his parents, brother and I made our way to the gym. The rest of our family was able to go into a classroom and watch the live stream. We patiently awaited the arrival the cadets, and once they started marching into the gym, it was waterworks all over again. They all looked so good in their uniform and their marching was great! They marched in a little differently from previous graduations and luckily for us we were on the correct side of the gym to see them! Many speeches were given, and awards handed out, but soon enough was the moment we were all excited for: the receiving of their badges!!!!!!!! When J got closer, his brother and I were able to get closer to the stage to snap some pictures. They called his name, badge number and area office and I couldn't help but smile! All of the tough days, late nights, sore muscles and studying he had to endure made that one moment so worth it. We took our seats, listened to them recite their oath, and watched them march out as the newest OFFICERS of the California Highway Patrol (OOH- RAA). We left the gym and waited for them to come out to the quad  so we could pin them! When J came out and stood at attention in front of us, he gave us a quick smile- I joked with him that I would stand in front of him and dance to try and make him laugh- which I did! We were called up to approach our new officers while they held out their shiny new badge. I took it from J and gave it to my uncle (the CHP officer who helped get J where he is today) to pin onto him. My uncle gave him great words of advice, and I just tried to mumble that I loved J and was so proud of him through my sobs. We took turns taking pictures before they gathered one last time to recite their class chant! (I just missed the beginning where they say CTC IV-16) 

We all yelled and yelled and I congratulated J's roommates! J changed out his uniform, and off to Tahoe we went for a celebratory weekend!! The weekend was EXACTLY what we needed after a crazy 2 weeks! We all relaxed in the cabin, went out for beautiful hikes, hit the lake and of course J and I went out for runs together. We definitely want to try and make this an annual thing and stay at different cabins all around the lake. But for now, I'm going to enjoy the stress free days I have with my Officer because I know once break-in hits; it's going to get crazy! 

194 days of the Academy... DONE!!!

💚 AJ

T-minus 1 day until Coach to Cadet to Officer💚

GOOOOOOD MORNING EVERYONE! Tomorrow is the day and I cannot be more exctited! I'm just going to skip to Wednesday because well.. that was the most fun day haha. Yesterday was the Capitol Run and it was amazing! I woke up at 4am, got ready, and was on the road by 4:45am! I got to the academy right around 5:15am and was constatntly scanning for that sexy guidon.. aka J 😂. Side note- J has always told me that the mosquitos at the academy will eat you alive.. and he was right! I have a huge bite on my leg and my FOREHEAD. UGH of all the places... seriously!? Anyways, next thing you know we heard the juniors yelling and I spotted that yellow flag in the distance. J saw me right away, and we smiled like little children at each other. Once they took off- I left to go run to the Capitol myself. Yes- I was that crazy girl who ran to the Capitol and back. I just figured it'd be easier than having to deal with any traffic and looking for parking. I definitely got a few chuckles from the CHP escorts and even got yelled at by one of the PT instructors to slow down 😎. When I got to the Capitol building, I didn't have to wait too long until I heard the cadence in the distance. I seriously got goosebumps seeing them run in and seeing them surround the Fallen Officers memorial. I couldn't hear the captains speech, but J said it was really powerful. We followed them to the back of the building where we took pictures of them and then were entertained with them doing knuckle push ups! I got to give J a quick hug and kiss, then he headed to the bus to go back to the academy. They had a pretty smooth day after the run. J said they had more graduation practice then took pictures with their uniforms! He told me he actually lucked out- so they were given a random badge to pin on their uniform just for the pictures, and 2 cadets down had J's actual badge!! So of course, he asked if they could switch and he got to take his pictures with his future badge!! 
Later that evening we had the cadet party, and it was so awesome! I finally got to meet J's roommates and other cadets he's always talking about. It was nice to finally put some faces to names. I must say though, J's roommates are pretty fun and hilarious! I'm sure that helped J also. After dinner, they played a little video and that was so cool! It was interesting to see actual video of some of the stuff they did while there. Oh did I mention.. Erik Estrada was there!? Yes... Mr. CHiPS himself 🤗 Haha. 

Anyways now I'm just trying to kill time until I have to head to the academy for the spousal panel. I'm really looking forward to hearing what the wives and other presenters have to say and how we can help our future officers adapt/ deal with stress/ etc. 

CONGRATULATIONS CTC IV-16! You have all working so incredibly hard, and tomorrow all those late nights, stressful days, scenarios and so on will be rewarded when you get that shiny new badge and become the newest officers in the California Highway Patrol!!

193 days down... 1 to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

💚 AJ

Days 185-190: GRADUATION WEEK

OH MY GOD GUYS!!! I haven't written in here in forever!! It's been a CRAZY BUSY last week or so! I don't even remember what the seniors did last week, it's been so hectic! Friday the senior cadets had the day off, and it was move in day into our new house, so it actually worked out perfectly! The seniors got their badge numbers, I believe on Wednesday, and did more graduation practice. Other than that- I really don't remember what else they did 😬
Our weekend, however,  consisted of unpacking, building and adding our personalities to our new home. It's super exciting to have a HOUSE and not be cramped into a single bedroom apartment. I had to come back to my parents on Sunday for my last shift at my job here- it sucks because I REALLY enjoyed working at that store and with such amazing people but unfortunately/fortunately we have to move for J's job. Luckily though, my parents are here, so I'll be back and visiting frequently. 
Today I woke up to my phone ringing for a FaceTime with J around 7am. He said they were a little bored because their morning class was cancelled and they had no idea what they were going to do instead. I spent the day running around buying things for our house and finishing up packing. I'm driving back to our house tomorrow to get somewhat settled before all the fun activities (Capitol Run, Cadet Party, Seminars). I finally heard from J again around 7pm. They were given liberty so some of them went out for dinner! They should have liberty again tomorrow, so J said he was going to come to the house and we can have dinner together! I'm really excited for that! 

I can't believe graduation is 4 days away. These past 6 months have really flown by!! I know it'll only get tougher from here with break in, and J actually being out on the field, but I really believe that together, we can get through whatever life throws at us. Even though we were apart, I feel as if the academy strengthened our relationship and helped us build on our patience and communication skills. Those daily "good morning" texts, or even the "it's going to be a busy night so we can't talk, but I just wanted to let you know" texts really helped also. I knew going into the academy, that we wouldn't get to talk every night, so with him just checking in really quickly helped calm me, especially at the beginning. 

Just a couple more days until we get to see J in those tans and he presents us with that shiny new badge! I'll try to post here after the Capitol run with pictures, but if I don't- it's because we're busy having a blast celebrating the big event!!! 

190 days down... 4 to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🤗🤗

💚 AJ

Days 182- 184

Happy happy Tuesday y'all!!! This week is already half way over (the senior cadets get Friday off!!)! And NEXT WEEK IS GRADUATION WEEK!!! Ahhhhh! I don't know who's more excited- J or me haha. Let's see.. Sunday J was still at his brothers, and I had to work, so we didn't talk too much during the day. Sunday evening, J was making a new PT shirt. Towards the end of the academy, the seniors will "decorate" their PT shirts with iron ons of the freeways, and notable places of their area office. He sent me a picture once he was done, and it looked pretty awesome! Monday was a pretty laid back day for the seniors. They started their morning off instructing the juniors for PT. After that, they had HazMat ALL day, then actually went ahead and took their test. J passed with a 93% and found out he got a 98% on his Accident Investigation test! The one that took 8 hours! I'm so proud of him- and now he only has 1 test left to pass! Monday evening we got to talk for a little bit- but most of our conversation consisted of upcoming events and going over some plans. Tuesday was a SUPER fun day according to J! They spent the whole day outside practicing "active shooter" drills and scenarios. J said it was his favorite day at the academy so far because of all the scenarios and role playing they did! We talked about upcoming events again- ah it's just so exciting with everything coming up! After graduation, our families are spending the weekend in a cabin at Lake Tahoe to celebrate, have fun and unwind; then after that we're driving down to our hometown to get all of our things out of storage AND have a small wedding! J and I are super excited about getting married- it'll be a small ceremony with our family and close friends and then we'll start saving up for our HUGE one 🤗. We just both figured it's time. We'll be starting a new life together, with new careers, and we've already been together for 12 years, and have been through a lot, so it just makes sense to start this new journey as a married couple versus an engaged couple 😍. Anywhooooo, we're on that final home stretch guys!!! 6 more academy days left! SIX!!!!!!!! I cannot wait!! 

184 days down.. 10 to go!!

💚 AJ

Days 179- 181

Hi everyone!! I hope everyone had a good Saturday. My Saturday was supppppper long. Friday night I just couldn't get to sleep, and then on top of that I picked up a shift since J wasn't home this weekend, and that just made the day seem even longer 😫. Anyways, Thursday was a somewhat boring day for J. They had a vehicle code scenario test that took them 4 hours, then during their Spanish class, most cadets were out at high speed, so J just studied the area map of his new office. Friday morning they had PT, graduation practice then their Spanish test. J didn't get the results for that test yet, but he's really confident he got 100%. After lunch, they had a short run through with their range instructors on traveling with a gun, having a gun at home, and so on. Before being dismissed for the weekend,, the seniors hit the parking lot and wrote the junior cadets tickets! J said it was pretty fun and good practice. J called me on his drive to his brothers and told me they lost a couple of cadets to high speed. I feel really bad for them to fail out THIS close to graduation, but at the same time am so relieved that J already passed his high speed test. Friday night my mom and I went to a couple stores and bought some small essentials for our house. I did pick up a nice bottle of chocolate infused wine and PLASTIC wine glasses 😎. I can't wait to try it- but I think I'll open it on move in day. J passed out early Friday night because he had to be up at 4am and be at his area office by 5:30am for his ride along! He was out until 2pm today and text me when he got done. I don't think I can talk about what he got to see, but it sounded pretty exciting to me, however he called it a "slow day". I'm glad he had fun, especially since this is where we will be for a couple of years hopefully. 
I'm really looking forward to this week! It's a short week for the seniors- they have Friday off AND we're moving in to our new house on Friday! 8 more academy days left guys!! I can already feel the tears streaming down my face come graduation day! Haha

181 days down.. 13 days to go!!!

💚 AJ

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 

Days 143-145

Happy Friday everyone!!! I'm going to try and write this post like a speed racer because J is on his way home!!! Wednesday J and I didn't get to talk much because he had Wednesday night restriction, and by the time they were dismissed, he still had to shine his boots & brass and get ready for the next day. Wednesday they had half a day of Spanish and then another half of a day learning about accident investigation. Thursday they started their day with PT, then had range and more accident investigation. We were able to text for a bit, but because they were dismissed late and I had work, we didn't get to talk much. Today the cadets had another round of PT and their PMA class, then learned more about vehicle code and accident investigation. J said they learned how to write tickets today 😎. OH! And they also got to practice for graduation!! Apparently their marching in to the gym a different way and the lieutenant said they did such a good job, that if they graduated tomorrow, they'd look good. I wish they graduated tomorrow haha. Oh and guess what everyone.. WE FOUND OUT OUR AREA OFFICE!!!!! J and I are going to set aside some time this weekend to look at possible houses to rent. I'm so excited and so nervous at the same time. Luckily I have some family where we're going, so it shouldn't be too too bad.  We're getting so close everyone! 7 weeks to go, and 34 academy days left! AHHHH 🤗🤗

145 days down.. 49 to go

💚 AJ

Days 141 & 142

It's a new week, and after such a fun weekend, it's back to reality. Monday was my last day of my mini vacation, and it was back to a mixture of classes for the seniors- no more first aid and EMR training. They started their day with their final PFT! J scored his highest score so far (83) and was super happy with that. I think he said he had the 19th highest score of the class AND this PFT goes towards their badge numbers! After their test, they had range and started to learn about rifles. J's roommate said that if you got how to use a shotgun, a rifle shouldn't be difficult. After range, the senior cadets did a mock assignment draft, and J told me the area office that he got. If it ends up being that city, I'll actually be happy about it because it's not too bad. It's not home, but it'll do 😝. After lunch they had 4 hours of Spanish! I think that'll be somewhat easy for J since he took Spanish classes in high school and had to speak it on occasion in our hometown. I flew back home Monday evening and by the time I landed, J was already passed out. Tuesday morning they had graduation practice (!!!!) then practiced PMA, then had 4 hours of vehicle code and 4 hours of accident investigation. After dinner, J said they had their monthly stress resiliency class, but they got dismissed early. We chatted a little later than usual, so it was a short and quick conversation. J did warn me that he is restricted Wednesday night.. I know, super disappointing 😜. We're starting to slowly see more and more light at the end of the tunnel guys! 8 weeks left, and 37 more academy days! Eeeek 🤗

142 days down.. 52 to go!!

💚 AJ