My CHP & Mimi: April 2017

Hi!

I thought I would do a quick update on life lately. I took a look at the blog recently and saw there were still a lot of readers, so I thought I would share how things are going today! Our lives have still been chugging along since Kev took the patrol car out for the first time around the holidays and we have both been doing great! Here is a bit about how we have been doing :)

Kev has had all day shifts since he completed FTO! If you read along before, you know he only had graves for one period of FTO and he still hasn't had to have swing shifts yet. The office he is in is amazing! Every three months the schedule changes, as I believe it does in every office. The more senior officers make their selection and then Kev is up. In his particular office, everything seems to be fair game by the time it gets to us - days, swings, and graves. When we're up, Kev takes a picture of the open slots and shows me our options. I reallyyyy appreciate that he does this. Since he is still fairly new and trying not to ask to switch shifts too often, it helps when I'm able to take part in picking our schedule since it has such a heavy impact on me as well. When we pick together, it creates a little more understanding between us when we can't do something because of his obligation to a shift.

We just switched schedules again and Kev now has Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off! For anyone else who might also be in their probation period, you likely know how exciting it is to have a split weekend. For those reading to know what to expect, the academy separation anxiety will slowly melt away and even if you don't get weekends together, the feeling of time apart is back to normal, short-lived, and no where close to weeks away from each other like during the academy. Even though most of Kev's schedules have left us without a full day together during the week, day shift leaves us plenty of time together in the evening to go to the gym, cook dinner or even watch a movie. He is used to the job now too, and isn't as exhausted at the end of a work day either.

As for me, I have a new job! In February I finally accepted an offer with a start-up company in SF that is doing very well! My new office is amazing with all the great start up perks and it's all complimented by a great team too. Once again I have unlimited PTO which does make dating a LEO much easier. However, since I am still just a few months in I am being a little more conscious of taking time off right now for day trips. However, I did take a two week trip to SoutheastAsia prior to starting my new job. I booked the flight on a Wednesday and took off that Saturday! Kev was so supportive when I came home and told him and I sent him pictures every chance I could.

Aside from that, we just did a snowboarding trip this last weekend to enjoy one of Kev's Saturdays off. We also have a ton of weddings coming up. This can be tough - I'm trying to figure out how we RSVP for a future date when we may not even know his schedule until the month before? For example, we have a wedding out of state in November, and the schedule changes in October. If any of you seasoned LEOs or significant others have any advise, I'm listening :)

Good luck to all of you in the Academy or graduated, and I hope you all are having a wonderful 2017 so far. We keep watching as the classes come and go. How far it feels we have come, and it hasn't even been a full year since Kev graduated last August.

- Mimi

PS: And if you ever have any questions about our life since Kev graduated - schedules, switching shifts with co-workers, coming come to each other after a shift, please ask and I am happy to share what I can!

Here are a few pics from my trip to the Philippines in Feb & our snow trip this month. Try not to forget that life exists outside of work - be great at your careers but remember to cherish the relationships in your life, chase experiences, and rake in as many beautiful memories as you can.