Last night was the end of Kev's long work week... sort of. He was supposed to be done at around 6:30am but that is never usually the case. He is currently still at the office wrapping up paperwork. Whenever something happens, there is a lot of paperwork to do. Sunday was my birthday, and he didn't get home until about 10:30am before showering and crashing into bed. Then, before I knew it he was up getting ready to leave for another shift. My birthday celebration with my boyfriend is currently on hold. I expected this week to be tough for us though. He finally has a night off tonight, but then another full week ahead. Phase two is almost over though! I'm praying that we get a better shift for phase 3 but I'm guessing he might get swings next (12pm - 10pm). I would technically still miss him during the day with that shift too, but at least he would get into bed with me for a little while at the end of the night. Graves weren't too bad initially, however a few schedule changes left us with a lot of consecutive shifts after we had a few days off.
Halloween weekend was everything we expected and more. Kev's stories were crazy! Thus, the paperworkkkkk. He is experiencing so many "firsts". It's a little unnerving to hear some of the stories though but I trust that Kev is careful. Lately, he has been coming home with so much excitement and adrenaline. He loves his job. There is definitely adrenaline followed by a significant crash though. It really is an adjustment for us both. I miss him a lot lately too.
I'm looking forward to a cozy night in and maybe a scary movie with him tonight. I can't wait!
- Mimi
Monday, October 31, 2016
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
More Phase 2 - Graves, How Vacation Works, & A Holiday Party!
Hi there! Here is a little update on life lately. We are still pushing through phase two of FTO and graves. Like I said before, I either see Kev all the time or I miss him entirely. It is almost like a week at the Academy sometimes, except he is home while I'm at work all day. We will usually chat when he is on his way home from work and text after he wakes up from his 'nap'. Kev works graves all this week, so the last time I saw him was Monday morning. I miss him but it isn't too bad, and we get to chat all the time. He actually made dinner yesterday and it was there waiting for me when I got home from work. He really makes an honest effort to do his share around the house with what little time he has between sleep and shifts. I never feel 'alone' or like the daily household chores are all on my plate and not his. I truly have a good one.
It's been raining lately and that makes me worry about him a little more when he is working nights. Guys can leave the academy thinking they are professional drivers, so every once in a while I have to ground him and remind him he is far from being the next Mario Andretti. Kev is also scheduled to work all Halloween weekend. That should be interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing how that goes!
As for exciting news.
We just found out that we get to attend the holiday party for Kev's office. We are both really excited for that! Our first CHP event with Kev as an Officer.
This week, Kev gets to sign up for vacation next year. He has already accrued about a month off! We decided to be modest though and only take a week so that he can continue to accrue time off and we can take a real vacation the following year!
I expected the vacation slots to be limited after the more senior officers selected their time off, but to our surprise there were plenty of options open! Some of the other officers that Kev has kept in touch with from the Academy have already selected their time off at their offices and are taking 2-3 weeks. The officers are given a calendar for the year and in order of seniority they sign up for the time off they want. The way it seems to work (it's all new to us but this is my understanding), is that about 5 officers can take the same week off. It also appears that you can only select week long time frames. If you want 2 or 3 consecutive weeks, you can do that too but they have to be open. It looks like most of the officers selected their weeks together rather than spaced out. I asked Kev if we could just select a couple of 3 day weekends next summer but he seems to think we can't do that. I'm sure we will know more in time, but for now we are really happy. He has already had about 6 days off in a row before, so I'm sure in the future when he is off FTO we will be able to work out occasional short trips too.
Next year when it is time to pick vacation again, we hope to be able plan a little more ahead and then pick our dates. That way, we aren't committed to a week without any plans. Typically when I plan a vacation, I'll see when flight costs are lowest and then request the time off. The way we had to do it this time may leave us with limited cost-effective options but we are pretty innovative, so I'm sure we will find a way to be better at this in the future!
- Mimi
It's been raining lately and that makes me worry about him a little more when he is working nights. Guys can leave the academy thinking they are professional drivers, so every once in a while I have to ground him and remind him he is far from being the next Mario Andretti. Kev is also scheduled to work all Halloween weekend. That should be interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing how that goes!
As for exciting news.
We just found out that we get to attend the holiday party for Kev's office. We are both really excited for that! Our first CHP event with Kev as an Officer.
This week, Kev gets to sign up for vacation next year. He has already accrued about a month off! We decided to be modest though and only take a week so that he can continue to accrue time off and we can take a real vacation the following year!
I expected the vacation slots to be limited after the more senior officers selected their time off, but to our surprise there were plenty of options open! Some of the other officers that Kev has kept in touch with from the Academy have already selected their time off at their offices and are taking 2-3 weeks. The officers are given a calendar for the year and in order of seniority they sign up for the time off they want. The way it seems to work (it's all new to us but this is my understanding), is that about 5 officers can take the same week off. It also appears that you can only select week long time frames. If you want 2 or 3 consecutive weeks, you can do that too but they have to be open. It looks like most of the officers selected their weeks together rather than spaced out. I asked Kev if we could just select a couple of 3 day weekends next summer but he seems to think we can't do that. I'm sure we will know more in time, but for now we are really happy. He has already had about 6 days off in a row before, so I'm sure in the future when he is off FTO we will be able to work out occasional short trips too.
Next year when it is time to pick vacation again, we hope to be able plan a little more ahead and then pick our dates. That way, we aren't committed to a week without any plans. Typically when I plan a vacation, I'll see when flight costs are lowest and then request the time off. The way we had to do it this time may leave us with limited cost-effective options but we are pretty innovative, so I'm sure we will find a way to be better at this in the future!
- Mimi
Monday, October 17, 2016
FTO, Birthdays & Holidays
Kev and I both have birthdays this month and have been celebrating every chance we get. It's been really fun. The schedule this month is a little different from day shift last month in a couple of ways. Last month, the schedule was pretty consistent but it fluctuates a bit more this month. Kev is either working a bunch of nights in a row and I don't see him, or he has a bunch of nights off and it feels like he is hardly ever working. Last week I barely saw him, but I've seen him all weekend. He works a couple nights this week, and then we have almost a week off together. We are going to take those off days to go deer hunting with his family. I'm not much of a camper, so it will be an adventure!
Kev didn't work the night before his birthday and I took the day off, so we had the perfect lazy movie day with presents and cake. He did have to work the night of his birthday though and actually had a pretty exciting night! I told him he should pack cake to share with his training officer or the office but he laughed at me and said he didn't want to share his birthday cake. If I know anything, homemade cake makes friends Kev ;)
I never feel that our time is limited. When he works a few nights in a row it can be tough at home alone but I know that leaves room for consecutive days off. It always feels pretty fair. After the camping trip he will be working about 6 nights straight, so I am preparing myself for that. Unfortunately, he will have to work on my birthday too. That will be the first birthday he misses because of work. We have been celebrating all month though, so it's okay. It will give me a little guilt free time to celebrate and brunch with my girlfriends ;) I am curious how the holidays will work out though. I'm not the type of person to be concerned if I don't celebrate on the exact day of a holiday. As long as we get a day together to celebrate, I don't really care what day it is. It's not about the day, it's about who you share it with!
Happy birthday to us!
- Mimi
Kev didn't work the night before his birthday and I took the day off, so we had the perfect lazy movie day with presents and cake. He did have to work the night of his birthday though and actually had a pretty exciting night! I told him he should pack cake to share with his training officer or the office but he laughed at me and said he didn't want to share his birthday cake. If I know anything, homemade cake makes friends Kev ;)
I never feel that our time is limited. When he works a few nights in a row it can be tough at home alone but I know that leaves room for consecutive days off. It always feels pretty fair. After the camping trip he will be working about 6 nights straight, so I am preparing myself for that. Unfortunately, he will have to work on my birthday too. That will be the first birthday he misses because of work. We have been celebrating all month though, so it's okay. It will give me a little guilt free time to celebrate and brunch with my girlfriends ;) I am curious how the holidays will work out though. I'm not the type of person to be concerned if I don't celebrate on the exact day of a holiday. As long as we get a day together to celebrate, I don't really care what day it is. It's not about the day, it's about who you share it with!
Happy birthday to us!
- Mimi
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Graves, FTO, & Novelists
I recently read a post about how FTO period is worse than the Academy. Since these are the exact blogs that had me questioning whether I would hear from Kev during the Academy, if he would make it to graduation day, and if we could endure the FTO period, I find it paramount to put that conclusion to rest for all of you current and/or future girlfriends and wives who may be reading. You will read over and over in my blog that your experience is (1) what you make of it, and (2) a direct reflection of the person you share it with. Please don't let what might be someone's first attempt at writing a depressing love story affect your outlook on an amazing opportunity. Tough words but again, this is one of the reasons why I started my own blog.
The Academy is challenging, but most goals worth having don't get handed to you on a silver platter. The dreams you work hard for will reap the finest rewards. I have never had an experience quite like dating someone in a police academy, especially one as regimented as the California Highway Patrol. However, it is apparent that there are an array of different individuals in each class. While they may have been selected for their morale, discipline, motivation, and courage that will make them a superlative peace officer - the ability and desire of each to balance home life and work may vary. You also have to remember that during and after the Academy, they are employed. It is a job. I absolutely respect and admire the women who had children during the Academy and truly respect you for your independence, strength and sacrifice during that time. I haven't said this before, but I do realize that my experience as "just a girlfriend" without children did not have some the same challenges that women with a family had to endure. However, I believe I can offer a different perspective that may be of value. I love business and pride myself in my own career development and growth. I work hard at the office, and occasionally bring my work home. Most days, I am working 12+ hours away from home. I am confident that some women with a significant other in the Academy also balanced a family and a full time job - I bow to you for that. The point I am making, is that success at any job requires time and effort. Be supportive of that and recognize that motivation is likely part of the reason you fell for your officer (to-be) in the first place.
The Academy and FTO period take resiliency, and effort. Unlike some jobs where 'Joe' can sit back while others pick up the slack, the CHP holds its employees to a standard or excellence and responsibility. The Academy can be intimidating for someone on the sidelines because these men and women are expected to give it everything they've got. That kind of devotion and passion to achieve a goal doesn't occur often in life and it is a sight to see in a person. Suddenly, priorities shift. However, the 'refection' goes both ways. Provide your support, store your worries away and fight for that dream together. That is the key to finding balance. I supported Kev and in return, he worked his butt off and I heard from him every singly day. He never missed a phone call home amidst all the other ways he made me feel special and loved. On the other hand, he told me about some of his classmates who genuinely needed more time to study, needed more sleep, or were just plain stressed out and couldn't call home that night. The individual will shape the experience you have, not the circumstances. Be understanding and patient. If you are confident you are with the right person, it is all worth it.
Since graduation, life has been amazing and for the record, nothing like the Academy. We are together again - he lives at home, not in Sacramento. He also isn't stressed out with studying and homework anymore. We breezed through two season of Dexter in two weeks last month if that helps shed some light on our time together. Now that we are on graveyards, we miss each other some days entirely but our kitty is sure happy to have someone home at all hours of the day - for those of you with a family, kitty can be subbed for kids ;) We leave notes for each other around the house and get excited to hurry home and see each other on off days. Sometimes Kev has report writing to do, but it gets done. He writes, I cook dinner or I'm at work when he is catching up on reports. It works out. I haven't seen Kev since Monday morning actually. I absolutely miss him and our Dexter marathon is temporarily on hold, but he is off tonight and I can't wait to get home, make dinner, and cuddle him all night. The Academy left us with a great story to tell and life has been great since. To sum it up, life now is exciting, meaningful, fun, and absolutely different. It is a whole new world but back to as normal as it can be. It may be a lifestyle that requires a little adjustment, but it isn't one to fear a future with.
The Academy is challenging, but most goals worth having don't get handed to you on a silver platter. The dreams you work hard for will reap the finest rewards. I have never had an experience quite like dating someone in a police academy, especially one as regimented as the California Highway Patrol. However, it is apparent that there are an array of different individuals in each class. While they may have been selected for their morale, discipline, motivation, and courage that will make them a superlative peace officer - the ability and desire of each to balance home life and work may vary. You also have to remember that during and after the Academy, they are employed. It is a job. I absolutely respect and admire the women who had children during the Academy and truly respect you for your independence, strength and sacrifice during that time. I haven't said this before, but I do realize that my experience as "just a girlfriend" without children did not have some the same challenges that women with a family had to endure. However, I believe I can offer a different perspective that may be of value. I love business and pride myself in my own career development and growth. I work hard at the office, and occasionally bring my work home. Most days, I am working 12+ hours away from home. I am confident that some women with a significant other in the Academy also balanced a family and a full time job - I bow to you for that. The point I am making, is that success at any job requires time and effort. Be supportive of that and recognize that motivation is likely part of the reason you fell for your officer (to-be) in the first place.
The Academy and FTO period take resiliency, and effort. Unlike some jobs where 'Joe' can sit back while others pick up the slack, the CHP holds its employees to a standard or excellence and responsibility. The Academy can be intimidating for someone on the sidelines because these men and women are expected to give it everything they've got. That kind of devotion and passion to achieve a goal doesn't occur often in life and it is a sight to see in a person. Suddenly, priorities shift. However, the 'refection' goes both ways. Provide your support, store your worries away and fight for that dream together. That is the key to finding balance. I supported Kev and in return, he worked his butt off and I heard from him every singly day. He never missed a phone call home amidst all the other ways he made me feel special and loved. On the other hand, he told me about some of his classmates who genuinely needed more time to study, needed more sleep, or were just plain stressed out and couldn't call home that night. The individual will shape the experience you have, not the circumstances. Be understanding and patient. If you are confident you are with the right person, it is all worth it.
Since graduation, life has been amazing and for the record, nothing like the Academy. We are together again - he lives at home, not in Sacramento. He also isn't stressed out with studying and homework anymore. We breezed through two season of Dexter in two weeks last month if that helps shed some light on our time together. Now that we are on graveyards, we miss each other some days entirely but our kitty is sure happy to have someone home at all hours of the day - for those of you with a family, kitty can be subbed for kids ;) We leave notes for each other around the house and get excited to hurry home and see each other on off days. Sometimes Kev has report writing to do, but it gets done. He writes, I cook dinner or I'm at work when he is catching up on reports. It works out. I haven't seen Kev since Monday morning actually. I absolutely miss him and our Dexter marathon is temporarily on hold, but he is off tonight and I can't wait to get home, make dinner, and cuddle him all night. The Academy left us with a great story to tell and life has been great since. To sum it up, life now is exciting, meaningful, fun, and absolutely different. It is a whole new world but back to as normal as it can be. It may be a lifestyle that requires a little adjustment, but it isn't one to fear a future with.
"No one can create negativity or stress within you, only you can do that by virtue of how you process your world." - Wayne Dyer
- Mimi
Monday, October 10, 2016
Graves Update
Graveyard shift over the weekend did not disappoint! It was everything Kev and I expected and more. I finally got my stories. He worked both Friday and Saturday night, 8pm - 6am. He left the house around 6pm for each shift and was home between 8am-9am in the morning. We have mutually agreed that I won't blog about specific incidents but I will say I definitely had my fill of "Cops" stories for the weekend. Nights are definitely more exciting, but now that I got my stories out of Kev, I definitely prefer hearing that he was stuck in traffic tending to small fender benders all day!
The hard part about nights - For one, we live in just under a 1000 sq. foot condo. So, when Kev gets home and needs to sleep, that means I need to keep quiet and it's a little tough in such a small place. I didn't do a great job on Saturday, but Sunday I managed to do better. We will definitely need to figure out what works best for us. Saturday I woke him up too soon, but on Sunday I let him sleep too long. I also accidentally fell back asleep with him until just after noon! When I woke up and realized what time it was, I quietly changed and headed to the gym so Kev could sleep longer. However, I was antsy all last night because I had slept too long. To my surprise, Kev was looking good. Staying up all night didn't seem to be too painful for him after he was able to sleep it off for a bit.
Kev works nights most days this week, so even though we will miss each other it might work out better for us than the weekend did. When he gets home from his shift and needs to sleep, I'll be at work. He will have the peace and quiet he needs to rest. It's really important to us that he gets sufficient sleep before his shift. After hearing how 'active' nights are, we both know it's essential that he is well rested and alert.
We still have a the rest of the month to figure out a routine that works best for us. We may not see each other as often now, but hopefully we get a better shift in November. It seems most of the tenured officers at Kev's office prefer nights, so we are hoping that we have a chance at day shift once he is off FTO. While nights mean more 'action', Kev admits he prefers day shift so far - of course, I do too!
Kev also told me that when he stopped to pick up food with his FTO this weekend, a kind woman noticed them in uniform and treated them to their dinner. Kev said when they went to pay, they were told the woman had already taken care of the bill. It really made his night and mine when he came home and told me. Thank you for warming our hearts and being one of the first to show a new officer that he is appreciated and loved out there :)
- Mimi
The hard part about nights - For one, we live in just under a 1000 sq. foot condo. So, when Kev gets home and needs to sleep, that means I need to keep quiet and it's a little tough in such a small place. I didn't do a great job on Saturday, but Sunday I managed to do better. We will definitely need to figure out what works best for us. Saturday I woke him up too soon, but on Sunday I let him sleep too long. I also accidentally fell back asleep with him until just after noon! When I woke up and realized what time it was, I quietly changed and headed to the gym so Kev could sleep longer. However, I was antsy all last night because I had slept too long. To my surprise, Kev was looking good. Staying up all night didn't seem to be too painful for him after he was able to sleep it off for a bit.
Kev works nights most days this week, so even though we will miss each other it might work out better for us than the weekend did. When he gets home from his shift and needs to sleep, I'll be at work. He will have the peace and quiet he needs to rest. It's really important to us that he gets sufficient sleep before his shift. After hearing how 'active' nights are, we both know it's essential that he is well rested and alert.
We still have a the rest of the month to figure out a routine that works best for us. We may not see each other as often now, but hopefully we get a better shift in November. It seems most of the tenured officers at Kev's office prefer nights, so we are hoping that we have a chance at day shift once he is off FTO. While nights mean more 'action', Kev admits he prefers day shift so far - of course, I do too!
Kev also told me that when he stopped to pick up food with his FTO this weekend, a kind woman noticed them in uniform and treated them to their dinner. Kev said when they went to pay, they were told the woman had already taken care of the bill. It really made his night and mine when he came home and told me. Thank you for warming our hearts and being one of the first to show a new officer that he is appreciated and loved out there :)
- Mimi
Friday, October 7, 2016
Grave Shift is Tonight
Kev's first official graveyard shift is tonight! I kissed him goodbye this morning and I've been thinking of him all day. Even though I'm a little bummed I won't see him until tomorrow, I think we are both pretty excited for his shift tonight. I can't wait to hear all about it when he comes home. I'm guessing night shift will be much different than the day shift he is used to. I didn't even think about it until he told me, but basically when you work the day shift you're stuck in traffic all morning. Ultimately, he is just snagging people cheating the carpool lane or heading to crashes. Crashes = paperwork. He even went to the office on his day off the other day to wrap up his crash reports. You can't really catch someone for speeding when you're in 5 mph traffic. In that case, Kev is pretty excited for tonight. He had two days off before today too so he is pretty well rested and ready for his shift!
As for me, I have a girls night planned after work since I'll have the house to myself - mani/pedis, Pho, wine and movie night in. Kev put a bunch of lights up for me on the balcony, so I'm looking forward to turning them all on and having girl time. Cheers to tonight, Kev's safety, and crushing the Chippy life so far :)
- Mimi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)