Taking Time out for the Family

I am not going to blog about Patrol for this entry. My grandmother died last night in the hospital. She had been in a lot of pain. It came as a shock for most in the family since grandma had been at the edge, but she came back. That was more than a week ago, and this weekend she got worse really fast and her treatment moved to pain management.

I didn't think that grandma would be the first to die. The rest of the family seemed of the same opinion. I got to be with her and grandpa at the hospital for most of Saturday night. It was touching seeing grandpa by her side all night not willing to sleep or even eat. I hope that I could have the same thing that they had in that hospital room.

It was touching to be there with Lori. Most major family events it feels like Lori and I get left out. I understand why. We are not able to get off whenever we need and the kids need a lot from us. Lori and I took turns touching grandma and taking care of grandpa's needs. Lori got to tell grandma all the things that she learned. I am glad to see that my family has had such an impact on my wife. Someday this will all be us and I hope that we can make the same impact on the people in our children's lives.

Going Strong

A couple of days of Mini-skills has gone by and I have learned a lot. I was able to pass the HGN, walk and turn, and One Leg stand test with no problems. I feel good about the way things are going. It was cool that a sergeant stood up in front of us the first day and talked about how the FTI program was about getting us through and not washing us out. I am glad to see that. I meet my first FTI who I have seen around the department. He seemed to be a good guy. He told me what to expect in the first week. He also told me what he wants me to study. I am very confident that I can prepare for the first week without any problems. I hope that God continues to go before me and prepare the way.

In Transition

The time has come to stop dreaming and to get down and dirty with patrol training. My last day in the courthouse was Thursday. I had a lot of conflicting emotions. Everyone was telling me that I would be great on patrol and they had been happy working with me. I believe them the they were happy to work with me. I do not know whether they believe that I can make on patrol or not. When I tried out for the Patrol list last year they all said the same thing and it came as a surprise that I did not make it on the list. But that is just me scared that I may not make it on patrol.

I was touched though at the caring that everyone showed. Most of my co-workers took some time out to talk to me personally. One female co-worker in particular was overcome with emotion as she told me that she was worried that I would be, "Chewed up by Patrol." I never knew that I was that cared for by my co-worker. It was hard to know what to think. I was very sobered by the experience.

Today, we came back from the ranch. It was the only vacation that I could have in the next few months. We relaxed, had fun, and did nothing at all to stress us out. I feel like it was not long enough but it was worth it and I hope that we can benefit from it. The next few months will see.