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So once again I took FOREVER to write in this thing again! Well this is just going to be a quick update. Nothing special this time. I'm almost done with my first block of the Academy. It finishes in about three weeks. Then I'll have a break until March. I know it's a little ways away, but it's the only way I could do the Academy and still work full time. The next block doesnt' start for me again until March, so there is nothing I can do about it. :)

Well I took my First Aid, CPR, DT and my latest quiz since I wrote last time. I passed all of them with flying colors of course ;) So really I can't think of much else to say. I went on a ride along with Provo City and that was really fun. I'm thinking that Provo wouldn't be too bad of a place to work. But I really don't care where I work as long as I can be a cop.

Well it's a short entry but it sums it all up. Gotta run, I'll write again soon. I promise!

Update

Wow, I didn't realize it had been nearly a month since I wrote last. I've been just a little busy with the Academy and work you know? ;) Well I thought I would write a quick update and let whoever cares know how things are going with me in my life right now.

I am in my 4th week of the Academy, so the first block is almost officially half done! PHEW! This week has been an interesting one. I've decided myself to refer to this week as "hell week" and I think it's deserved it so far. We have done nothing but P.T. and Defensive Tactics all week. We don't do anything else this whole week, so it's pretty hard. I'm sore and I my shins are killing me from all the running, but I guess it's only going to get easier, I know it has gotten a lot easier in just 4 weeks. I'm in a lot better shape then I was when I started and I thought I was in alright shape then, WRONG! But I'm surviving and I know it will all be worth it when it's all said and done. I have P.T. and defensive tactics tonight and then just P.T. on Friday, so it's almost over with. The nights we have only P.T. we are only there for an hour and then we go home, so those days aren't so bad. Most nights we're there till 9:30 though and that kind of sucks. Keep in mind class is Mon-Sat, so really my ONLY day off is Sunday, and that kind of blows. Oh well, I'll be done on November 19th and then I will have a nice break until either Jan. or March depending on if I can get in the earlier class. March would be ideal just because I would then have my income tax refund to help me buy my equipment for the second block. But the January one would be good too because then I would be done in March and could get on a department sooner. We'll have to just wait and see. I can't believe that it's already been a month though, time has gone by so fast. I was worried that it was going to drag on and on and on, but it's gone surprisingly fast. Now I just wish that it was already over with, I'm so tired and ready for a break it's insane! I go to work all day, hurry and go get the kids from daycare, take them and Sheena home, quickly change into whatever uniform I need for that night and grab a bottle of water and head out the door. I get out of school around 9:00-9:30 and head home, grab a small something to eat and go shower and go to bed. That's my day Monday through Friday. Then on Saturday I get up at 7:00 shower and get ready, go to school until usually 5:00 pm, then go home and try to get a whole days worth of errands done in like 3 hours so that the kids can get to bed at a decent time. Needless to say Sundays I don't do a whole heck of a lot if I can avoid it. I like to just lounge around and just kind of kick back and do a whole lot of nothing. Anyway, I'm halfway done with the first block and I'm still doing pretty good. It's a lot of stuff to cram in your brain all at once, but I'm sure a lot of it will come easier with job experience so I'm not going to worry myself about it right now.

Well that's an update on my school for now, I'll try not to let it go so long before I post again. :)

My first week

So I just finished my first week in the Police Academy. I'm still a little sore, but I've been running each night after school so that contributes to my soreness. I'm also a little drained from trying to learn so much! It's crazy all the different things that I'm learning. It's very interesting though, so that makes it so much better and a little easier to handle. Today for instance we spent 8 hours on the Criminal Codes! It's about as thick as the phone book and just about as exciting too ;) They are a little confusing, but I guess I dont' have to know them all right now. I've got plenty of time to learn everything, but I like to try and learn it all at once, it's always been one of my "faults" if you would call it that. I'm excited about it though, and I'm really excited about where this new "adventure" will take me in my life. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about becoming a Police Officer, but I'm not going to let that stop me. I'm well aware of the bad that comes along with the job, afterall my dad was an officer for the first 23 years of my life, so I know what to expect a little better than your "regular joe." I think Sheena is probably more nervous than I am, but that's to be expected I guess. God forbid anything happen to me she will be the one to carry the responsibility of raising our little children. I know she's strong enough to do it though, but I hope it never comes to that. I'm excited for next week though, that's when the real fun starts. We get to start doing Defense Tactics and Arrest Control Tactics and all that fun stuff. Basically we're going to get to throw each other around and learn how to "kick ass" :) 

On a completely different note, I recently discovered some things about my religion and the Mormon Church in general that are very disturbing to me. For the first time in my life, my faith in my religion is not as solid as it always has been. I'm not doubting "God" or "Jesus Christ", I don't know how anyone could do that. If you ever wondered about that, just take a drive through the mountains, or go watch a sunset or something like that. I'm just a little concerned with the things that I'm learning. I'm not going to list any specifics on here, just because I don't want to be the reason anyone else "questions" the church. I figure if anyone wants to know these or any other things, they will do the research. I'm not saying I don't want to be Mormon either, but I am saying that I'm questioning it. I'm doing some praying and soul searching this past week and will continue to do so until my questions are answered then I'll make my decision based on that. Please anyone that wants to try and "save" me....don't. I'm not becoming a blasphemist or anything, just doing a little searching is all. No worries! I know my true friends that read this...oh yeah the only people that read this ARE my true friends...they won't judge me or treat me any different. I know they'll be there for me throughout the whole thing regardless of my decision and I hope they are aware that I'd be there for them no matter what. Yeah even you Mikey ;) 

Anyway, I'm gonna go, but I'll write another school update once I get my next week finished. 

So the academy starts in two days and I'm going crazy! I'm so freaking nervous I can hardly stand it. I'm sure everything will be fine, but I'm the type of person that I like to know that something will work out before I start it...I know it's dumb but that's how I am. I think that's why I've been having these issues of being super nervous about this, is just because until I get in there and see how it works I won't know what it's going to be like...argh! I went and got my parking pass on Friday, and I expected to have to buy one, but they had free parking just across the lawn from the building I'll be in, so I figured I'd rather walk a little then have to pay just so that I can park right next to the building, I'm not THAT lazy! ;) It was funny though, because there was a girl in the parking building place that you go to get your tag and she was pissed off because she had gotten a ticket I guess for parking in a non parking place. Apparently this is the second ticket for her for parking in the SAME spot! You'd think that you would learn your lesson the first time, but obviously not with this girl. Anyway she was raising her voice and saying how it wasn't fair and all but calling the cops bad names when I stood up to the counter to get my permit and I said loud enough she could hear me..."I'm going to the Police Academy and I need my parking permit." You should have seen the look on her face it was priceless. She was shocked and had that deer in the headlights look then she just shut up and filled out her little appeal paper to try and get out of the ticket. It was pretty funny though. 

Today is Elgens birthday party. It should be pretty fun, we're going to have it out at the park on 5th west and center street here in Provo rather than Salem pond like Chelsea's. It just seems a little out of the way for some people and this one is more centralized. Plus it's closer to the apartment so that if there is too many people or something we can just come back here to the apartment and have it. Sheena's parent's came by yesterday and visited for a while and dropped off his presents from them. They gave him a little dog toy that you pull on the string and the dog has little wheels underneath it so it can roll, but it barks and stuff when you pull on the string. He loves that toy! He loves dogs though, it's cute. And then he got a bouncing Tigger, it's cute. He has been playing with both of them for most of the day yesterday and all morning so far today. He's a funny little kid, it doesn't seem like it's been a year already. Like they say though, "Time flies when you're having fun." I sure hope the academy goes by this fast or faster. I'm so ready to just be done with it and get on with a department. Anyway, nothing else to write about really, so I guess I'll go. 

So I got my uniforms ordered and everything on Friday. I couldn't believe how expensive it was. They told me when I registered for the Academy to plan about $350 for uniforms but with my boots, handcuffs, belt and jacket it was like $480! Oh well I guess, I kind of have to have them in order to go right? :) Now I'm just waiting for my student loan to come into my bank account so that I can go pay for the rest of them. My boots that I got are so freaking cool! They had a nice pair of Rocky boots that were cooler but they just felt kind of tight on my feet and I figured it wasn't worth having sore feet just to get the cooler boots. But the ones I got were pretty dang cool anyway. They're like combat boots, but they zip up the side so they're easier to get on which I like. That's what I hated about the Army was the boots were so dang hard to get on. They were just regular old combat boots though, so what could I expect, but these new ones are so nice I can't wait to go pick everything up. I got my handcuffs and case too, which was cool. They are black handcuffs and they look super awesome! I was reading what I need for the second block of the academy and I think it's kind of wierd that we have to provide our own firearm and 1500 rounds of ammo! Luckily I have a pistol, but I don't think it will work good enough, so I'm going to have to try and sell it and get a Glock I think. Plus I priced the ammo and holy crap it's going to be like $400 for that much ammo. I don't understand why you have to pay almost $4000 in tuition to attend the Academy but then you have to supply your own firearm and ammo? That doesn't make much sense to me. I would think that type of thing would be included in your tuition. You'd think that they'd have firearms and ammo that they just issued out to us on the days that we needed them, but whatever I guess. I'll have to try and figure all of that out when I get to that point I guess. I'm still excited though!

Sheena and I went to the Living Planet Aquarium Friday after I got my uniforms ordered. We haven't been to it since it was just the little tiny place up in the Gateway Center. It was pretty dang cool, I think they've put it in an old grocery store or something. It looked like it used to be a Smiths or Albertsons or something I don't know. It was way cool though. Sheena finally pet a Stingray! We sat there and pet them for like 1/2 hour or so. They are so cool, you'd think they would be all slimy, but they almost feel like velvety. They are so friendly though, they kept swimming right up to the side of the pool and poking their noses out at Sheena so she would pet them on their noses. It was pretty cool to see, but of course we forgot the dang camera at home and didn't get any pictures taken. Then we came home, ordered pizza and downloaded some more songs for Rockband and just jammed till like 1:30 in the morning. It was so freakin fun, we had the T.V. cranked! She was singing like crazy, and we were being so silly and acting like such dorks. We're all too good at acting like that though :) Then today we slept in and when we got up we went and took a drive out to the west side of Utah Lake and went shooting my pistol. She wasn't going to shoot but I convinced her to try it and she loved it. She actually did pretty good, she hit the target several times. It was so funny because on the way home she told me "At least I don't close my eyes when I shoot this like I do when I shoot my .270 rifle." I was SHOCKED when she said that she closes her eyes with her rifle! She just said it so matter of fact like and couldn't understand why I was so shocked when I heard that. It was so dang funny, because she's actually a really good shot with her rifle, and to think she's shooting without looking at it. I told her imagine how good you could be if you'd keep them open..she laughed so hard! I think we've had so much fun this weekend, and we still have tonight and tomorrow. I know I've had a blast and I'm so glad to have her in my life, I know that it wouldn't be nearly as exciting or hilarious without that freak in my life. I love her with all of my heart and there is nothing I wouldn't do for that girl. As corny as it sounds she's the light of my life. Sure there are a few rough patches, but show me a relationship that doesn't have that. I wouldn't trade any of the past 6 years of my life for anything.

I gotta run, but I'll write again soon!

Great Awesome News!

Well I got everything back from my financial aid. I got a Pell Grant and I took a small Student Loan. I turned in my application and got accepted into the Police Academy yesterday. I start on September 9th and I can hardly stand it I'm so excited and nervous all at the same time! This Friday I have to go get fitted for my uniforms, so that will be exciting. I also got my MPN for my student loan this morning, I didn't expect it for at least a week. When I talked to the girl at the Financial Aid office, she said that it would probably take at least a week to get all that stuff sent where it needed to go. Well I checked this morning and it was already there. I signed it and everything and it should be here in a few days I'm hoping.

I also e-mailed my boss last night and told him about it and that I was going to have to adjust my schedule a little bit so that I can get the kids picked up and get to school by 5:30 p.m. I basically told him that I was going to the Academy and that I'd be finished in about a year. I was kind of worried that he was going to be upset at the fact that I was going to leave, but he was actually really happy for me. He called me this morning at work and told me that I was a "stud" for following my dreams and bettering myself. I was a little surprised by his reaction, I really thought he'd be upset, but he wasn't.

Anyway, I'm gonna go eat my lunch, but I just thought I'd update anyone who reads this....yeah right.

Well I'm still waiting to hear back on my financial aid. I did call them today however and they said that they are working on them now, and it should be within the next few days when I should hear back. AARGH! I wish I had known about the whole $35 fee needed to be paid to UVU and NOT the Academy, I would've registered a month ago and gotten all my paperwork in for Pell Grant then, but I was under the impression that I had to pay the $35 to the Academy and so I waited till I was almost done with all my appointments and tests and stuff. So now I get to wait because it's so close to school. I hope it gets taken care of quickly though. I just want to know how much I'm getting so that I can plan accordingly whether or not I need to get a student loan or not.

Anyway, tonight we decided to pass some time by drawing....well attempting to draw. I realized tonight why I haven't ever really drawn people, I CAN'T! I hate it, because I want to draw these pictures Sheena found so bad, but I just can't get it down. I guess I'll keep practicing though and hopefully eventually I'll get it. Anyway, while I was looking through my drawing tablet I found this picture of a catfish I drew that I was going to get tattooed on me a while ago, but never did. I like it, I think it's a cool picture. For my tattoo I was going to put a fish hook in it's mouth though, other than that it was going to look pretty much like this. I think it would be cool with a background also, like maybe some old license plates or something. And maybe some rocks with a little moss growing on them, who knows.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention something that happened to me this morning. I FELL DOWN THE GOD DAMMED STAIRS! Luckily I only fell down the last 5 or 6. But it was dark, I was tired as hell and it was like 6:00 A.M. and I didn't get to bed till after midnight, plus I didn't sleep good at all last night. SOOO needless to say my day didn't start off on too good of a note. I was grumpy and sore all day. I'm still pretty sore though, but I'll get over it. I have to, I don't have a choice, I have to go to the gym and workout tomorrow and Sat. Then I'll get a day to rest (Sun.) then it's back to my regular schedule. I took today off from the gym, I figured falling down the stairs was a good enough reason to cancel my workout for today. Although I feel really lazy when I don't go to the gym, so I probably should have gone, but I'll make up for today over the next two days. :)

Anyway, I am going to go watch some Olympics I think. Maybe have some ice cream too! Yummy...I'll write again once I have more to write about.