It did finally happen, hubby worked a Christmas Day, and we survived...
It wasn't ideal, and it did suck. But it comes with the job and there is nothing I can do about it. He did come home 2 times, he had his dinner (not with us because we were already done) and it was nice for the family and friends to still see him even though it was brief.
What are some ways you deal with your significant other working holidays and birthdays? I'd imagine this will not be the last time he works on Christmas Day or any other holiday for that matter.
-Proud Wifey
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Changes for the wifey
For most all of my adult working life I have been around the Real Estate business. I started when I was 20 years old in a title department at First American Title Co of Napa. It was there that I learned a great deal and really became very interested in the real estate industry. I moved on to the escrow department which was my favorite position at First American.
Then kids and family life happened, so I left First American after 9 great years. I took a part time job at a State Farm Insurance office and it served it's purpose for 5 years. I was able to be a mom first and not worry about work or commuting to work. As the kids grew I knew that I needed to start thinking about something else, I loved who I worked for at State Farm, but insurance was not for me. I needed to get back to Real Estate. I went to work with a great friend in property management, it didn't take too long before I knew that was not for me either! I began working as a transaction coordinator for a real estate office. This was awesome, I felt like myself again, it was like I was back in escrow! While doing this job though I realized that I had so much more potential, an assistant was just not who I was. First of all, I like to be the boss always! :/ I am driven, I am motivated, and now 15 years later, I am educated in this industry! The hubby has always urged me to sell real estate. I had a real estate license and every time a family member or friend was involved in a real estate transaction I was a phone call away for advise or my "two sense" when needed. But the thought of long evenings, working weekends and inconsistent pay just didn't really sound like a good gig for me. But as I worked the transaction coordinator position it really opened my eyes to my own potential and I realized it wasn't exactly what I thought. I can make my own hours. After much thought and discussion with the hubby I went and talked with the broker. And just like that, the very next month I was selling real estate!
In my first 9 months I closed 11 transactions and earned the recognition of "rookie of the year"! I was blown away by the immediate success. This rarely happens in real estate. New agents can be lucky to close 3-4 transactions in their 1st year! I am so grateful, I have the best family and friends. I had so much support and referrals right away. It was a great year!
-Proud Wifey (and now Realtor)
Livin' the dream....
In September 2015 Hubby was offered the job of a police officer in our hometown. All of his hard work, perseverance and patience had paid off. This is when our favorite catch phrase "livin' the dream" became kind of our thing. I had worked part time allowing me to be with the kids more, but it also allowed me to take day trips to the beach and such. HE often would give me a bad time about "living the dream" Well now, he truly DOES LIVE THE DREAM.
He's wanted to be a police officer for as long as I have known him and he often talked about coming to work in the town he grew up in, but I never supported it and he supported me in that decision. You can imagine his excitement when I did give my "ok" to move forward with applying.( you can read a bit more about this in the previous post) I knew from the moment he applied he would get the job. His work ethic is solid, he shows up early, does what he's told and leaves late if necessary. He's a local boy and he worked in a different department of the city for 12 years before law enforcement and they loved him there too. There was no doubt he was coming home to work and I needed to get prepared for this. Which I did, I think...more to come on that!
For now I get to joke with him that HE lives the dream, especially when he's off to a training which includes driving a car really fast, shooting guns, hanging around all the guys, etc.. It's every mans dream I am sure!
The truth is, we are both "livin' the dream", I love my life just the way it is.
-Proud Wifey
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
It's been a LONG while!... over 3 years to be exact!
It's been a LONG while!... over 3 years to be exact!
So much has happened in my time away from the blog. Hubby made a department change, I made a job change and we bought a house... just to name a few.....
Hubby has been with his new department for over a year now. This move was necessary for our family life and our marriage. The commute was wearing on both of us (him especially) and the dept that hired him and put him thru the academy has their officers begin in the jail, like many county law enforcement departments do. This was a great learning experience for both of us. He very much enjoyed his time there, met lots a wonderful people and really grew in his law enforcement career. Hubby had no interest however in staying in a jail for his career. He always wanted to be a police officer on the streets. So I knew he would end up patrolling streets, I just didn't want him in the city where he was in the jail. So he began putting in applications to make a move to a dept closer to home and to patrol the streets.
It was a dream and long term goal for him to work in the town where he grew up. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't my first pick because we raise our family there. I had heard so many stories, and I of course had my own stories of horror in my mind. Along the application process with the other departments he applied I spoke to so many officers, officers wives and so on about him working in the town we live in. The main consensus was that it was not a problem and all had lots of wonderful things to say. There are many officers that live and work in the town we live in. Although not so small any more, it still feels like a small town where everybody knows each other some way or some how. In all my conversations there was one thing that stuck out to me and I called Hubby that day to give him the "OK" to move forward with his application in our hometown. A fellow police wife and friend said, "He WILL work Christmas, some day. At least if he's in town he can come home for dinner." This was huge for me. As you may have read in previous posts Christmas is my favorite holiday and it's one that we always host as well. Up to this point we had probably been the luckiest law enforcement family EVER, for his first 3 years he didn't work a Christmas.
So it was decided, he would apply to work in the town we live.....He was very excited about this but I had my reservations.
Friday, September 6, 2013
It's been a while....
I have really neglected the blog.... not just because we were having a really fun summer but it was partly because I was having a pitty party of 1! I slipped into this weird person and I didn't like it. I was super negative about hubby's new job and wanted NOTHING to do with anything police or law enforcement related. I stopped "following" any police wife blogs and pages, I had ordered this cute LEW tee and returned it. I couldn't figure out what all the LEW's "loved" about the job! I didn't want to hear of it and I got annoyed when he or anyone talked about it.
Not liking where I was or how I felt I talked to a few friends about this and then hubby - and although it took some soul-searchin I began to feel much better. It's been a few weeks now and I am in a much better place. I started to realize that it's not really THAT bad- and in talking to friends (who's husbands are NOT in LE) I realize that as wives and mom's we are worried about our husbands and about pretty much everything sometimes! I am pretty sure that my worry took over and I wasn't looking at the positive aspects of the job- because frankly I didn't think there were any. I am watching a bit of a change happening with the hubby's personality- and while I knew that'd happen at some point, I was having a hard time adjusting to it. He's in a very dangerous city, it's all ugly and negative things he will see day in and day out. And while all these things are true- there are many more positives to the job.
The first and most important positive is that hubby is so happy with his job. In fact he gets up everyday(when he's working) at 3AM without hitting the snooze button even ONCE. He cannot wait to go to work. This is huge for him especially since he is not a morning person and for 12 years at his other job I had to practically yell at him to get up at 7AM. He'd hit the snooze button 10 times!
Because of his schedule and now a little more on the pay checks we took many small over night trips and 1 week long trip to San Diego this summer. Kids had a blast as did the hubby and I. Also, he can take and pick up our kids from school which he has never been able to do before, him and I go to the gym together on some mornings- hey we have mornings alone- now that's really weird and so nice too. He's proud of himself and so are the kids- which is really amazing to see.
Something else recently happened that just really blew my mind! All summer we enjoyed Hubby's schedule and took full advantage with the kids off of school and I also had the same days off as hubby. The huge drawback to this schedule was that he had to work Sundays AND he'd be working Christmas Day this year- one of my biggest fears since day 1. To me Sunday is a family day and especially during football season- we are huge football fans and it's kinda our thing to watch football on Sunday's together. About 2 weeks ago hubby was offered a bit of a promotion (which in itself is wonderful considering he's only been on for 3 mos) and it was something he wanted to get into anyway. BUT this called for a schedule change! Which at first was not so exciting- this means less time for hubby and I since now he'd be off when I work. And we had gotten so used to the schedule and loved it. But after much discussion and thought between the two of us and him talking with some of the uppers he decided to take this new challenge and go with it. Especially since he's so new and he could very well get a really bad schedule this coming January.
SO while getting "our feet wet" with this new career and during summer he had that great schedule so that we could spend a lot of time together as a family and now, after summer and we've all settled into the new job -he's making a change. This means Sunday's off and now Christmas Day off as well. I find it so crazy that this happens the WEEK OF FOOTBALL opening and Christmas is around the corner. I think God is trying to tell me to relax, this career is here to stay- it's what completes hubby and I need to be just as supportive as I was last year at this time when we found out he was getting "in".
PS: one more little(not so little actually) thing- with the new schedule he will miss every one of our daughter's soccer games. HOWEVER the coach decided to do a scrimmage the other day in full uniforms. So it was kinda like he got to see her for her 1st soccer game! (Thank you, GOD)
Not liking where I was or how I felt I talked to a few friends about this and then hubby - and although it took some soul-searchin I began to feel much better. It's been a few weeks now and I am in a much better place. I started to realize that it's not really THAT bad- and in talking to friends (who's husbands are NOT in LE) I realize that as wives and mom's we are worried about our husbands and about pretty much everything sometimes! I am pretty sure that my worry took over and I wasn't looking at the positive aspects of the job- because frankly I didn't think there were any. I am watching a bit of a change happening with the hubby's personality- and while I knew that'd happen at some point, I was having a hard time adjusting to it. He's in a very dangerous city, it's all ugly and negative things he will see day in and day out. And while all these things are true- there are many more positives to the job.
The first and most important positive is that hubby is so happy with his job. In fact he gets up everyday(when he's working) at 3AM without hitting the snooze button even ONCE. He cannot wait to go to work. This is huge for him especially since he is not a morning person and for 12 years at his other job I had to practically yell at him to get up at 7AM. He'd hit the snooze button 10 times!
Because of his schedule and now a little more on the pay checks we took many small over night trips and 1 week long trip to San Diego this summer. Kids had a blast as did the hubby and I. Also, he can take and pick up our kids from school which he has never been able to do before, him and I go to the gym together on some mornings- hey we have mornings alone- now that's really weird and so nice too. He's proud of himself and so are the kids- which is really amazing to see.
Something else recently happened that just really blew my mind! All summer we enjoyed Hubby's schedule and took full advantage with the kids off of school and I also had the same days off as hubby. The huge drawback to this schedule was that he had to work Sundays AND he'd be working Christmas Day this year- one of my biggest fears since day 1. To me Sunday is a family day and especially during football season- we are huge football fans and it's kinda our thing to watch football on Sunday's together. About 2 weeks ago hubby was offered a bit of a promotion (which in itself is wonderful considering he's only been on for 3 mos) and it was something he wanted to get into anyway. BUT this called for a schedule change! Which at first was not so exciting- this means less time for hubby and I since now he'd be off when I work. And we had gotten so used to the schedule and loved it. But after much discussion and thought between the two of us and him talking with some of the uppers he decided to take this new challenge and go with it. Especially since he's so new and he could very well get a really bad schedule this coming January.
SO while getting "our feet wet" with this new career and during summer he had that great schedule so that we could spend a lot of time together as a family and now, after summer and we've all settled into the new job -he's making a change. This means Sunday's off and now Christmas Day off as well. I find it so crazy that this happens the WEEK OF FOOTBALL opening and Christmas is around the corner. I think God is trying to tell me to relax, this career is here to stay- it's what completes hubby and I need to be just as supportive as I was last year at this time when we found out he was getting "in".
PS: one more little(not so little actually) thing- with the new schedule he will miss every one of our daughter's soccer games. HOWEVER the coach decided to do a scrimmage the other day in full uniforms. So it was kinda like he got to see her for her 1st soccer game! (Thank you, GOD)
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
My first MAJOR scare..
I had always read and heard that if something happened to hubby it would be a local sheriff or his agency to come tell me. AND knew nothing else. In fact him and I never even talked about it, I mean he's been a deputy for all of about 5 minutes! (actually almost 9 weeks since graduation..)
Anyway, it was a Tuesday morning. I was just getting my day started at work, hubby had already been on for 4+ hours. A local county Sheriff pulls into my work parking lot. (a little odd since I work in an office where we don't see any LE at all, normally) I immediately think something awful has happened to the Hubby. My heart is racing, I am shaking, getting light headed even and thinking about 1,000 things a second. I am staring at his car not hearing a thing go on in my office, feeling like it's hard to breathe even. It feels like an eternity for him to get out of his car and walk into my office just to find out NOTHING is wrong and it was something not even related to me or my husband! (my stomach is hurting and I feel anxious just re-calling the morning)
Hubby and I had a long talk that night! lol Come to find out it would in fact would be HIS dept/agency, HIS Lieutenant and or Sergeant and at least 2 Sheriff's always. This info would have been nice to know before this awfully stressful Tuesday morning!
Before this day I felt like I was actually doing pretty good with the job in general and seeing Hubby SO happy, fulfilled daily and so full of pride in his work that I can't help but just be so happy for him that he's living out his dream. But this day was a minor set back for me, the danger of the job itself really became real. Lets face it, hubby wears a BULLET PROOF vest to go to his job, there is NOTHING normal about that. At some point I hope to be less paranoid and more accepting of the job and having faith he will come home at the end of every shift safely to us, his family.
Anyway, it was a Tuesday morning. I was just getting my day started at work, hubby had already been on for 4+ hours. A local county Sheriff pulls into my work parking lot. (a little odd since I work in an office where we don't see any LE at all, normally) I immediately think something awful has happened to the Hubby. My heart is racing, I am shaking, getting light headed even and thinking about 1,000 things a second. I am staring at his car not hearing a thing go on in my office, feeling like it's hard to breathe even. It feels like an eternity for him to get out of his car and walk into my office just to find out NOTHING is wrong and it was something not even related to me or my husband! (my stomach is hurting and I feel anxious just re-calling the morning)
Hubby and I had a long talk that night! lol Come to find out it would in fact would be HIS dept/agency, HIS Lieutenant and or Sergeant and at least 2 Sheriff's always. This info would have been nice to know before this awfully stressful Tuesday morning!
Before this day I felt like I was actually doing pretty good with the job in general and seeing Hubby SO happy, fulfilled daily and so full of pride in his work that I can't help but just be so happy for him that he's living out his dream. But this day was a minor set back for me, the danger of the job itself really became real. Lets face it, hubby wears a BULLET PROOF vest to go to his job, there is NOTHING normal about that. At some point I hope to be less paranoid and more accepting of the job and having faith he will come home at the end of every shift safely to us, his family.
Monday, May 20, 2013
It's not that bad......in fact it's been great!
We're on week 3 of hubby's JTO -the agency he started at he'll need to be in the jail for some time before he can go out on patrol. He seems happy with it, catching on quickly, already saved a person's life (day 3- I think I've heard the story 10 times now! haha) the traffic situation is better because of the shift times, no longer being a recruit is pretty awesome and meeting lots of other deputy's too. He has a story or two every day for me- he's very excited every time he talks about it. Some funny and entertaining, some not so much. I was a little worried at first that being in a jail for 12+ hours would get to him, because he always has worked OUTside. He says that he goes outside from time to time and it's so busy that he doesn't get much time to think about it anyway. I realize too though right now it's all exciting and new! So we'll see what time brings.
The kids and I love the schedule so far. We're loving him home during the week for school functions, school drop off and pick ups and me because he cooks dinner again, he can drop in my office to say hello and is home when I come home for lunch. Him and I even snuck away on a Thursday afternoon for some wine tasting and dinner. He does have to do 3 days of a night shift during this JTO, which was weird and very hard to adjust too, but ended up being a short week so we only had to deal with it for 3 nights. Feeling grateful it was so short because that is my least favorite shift. Even with a dog, home alarm and gun I just don't sleep well when he's not here. (I am sure I am not alone in this, fellow LEW)
We thought he had his real schedule, but turns out they are moving people all around so at this point still no idea what his real schedule will be at the end of the 5 week JTO. Hoping we'll have it this week and hoping he'll get what he's been on for most of the JTO. Again- he's the newbie so whatever we get is what we get. No complaining!
At this point I am OK. I have some ups and downs with the job, worrying and not sleeping well when he's gone at night, I'm adjusting to not speaking to him for 12+ hours at a time - new for us. But then again, I am ok on my own- for a little while that is. I have great friends and family for support and plenty to keep me busy both at work and at home.
So I guess what I am saying is, it's not that bad..... in fact it's been great!
The kids and I love the schedule so far. We're loving him home during the week for school functions, school drop off and pick ups and me because he cooks dinner again, he can drop in my office to say hello and is home when I come home for lunch. Him and I even snuck away on a Thursday afternoon for some wine tasting and dinner. He does have to do 3 days of a night shift during this JTO, which was weird and very hard to adjust too, but ended up being a short week so we only had to deal with it for 3 nights. Feeling grateful it was so short because that is my least favorite shift. Even with a dog, home alarm and gun I just don't sleep well when he's not here. (I am sure I am not alone in this, fellow LEW)
We thought he had his real schedule, but turns out they are moving people all around so at this point still no idea what his real schedule will be at the end of the 5 week JTO. Hoping we'll have it this week and hoping he'll get what he's been on for most of the JTO. Again- he's the newbie so whatever we get is what we get. No complaining!
At this point I am OK. I have some ups and downs with the job, worrying and not sleeping well when he's gone at night, I'm adjusting to not speaking to him for 12+ hours at a time - new for us. But then again, I am ok on my own- for a little while that is. I have great friends and family for support and plenty to keep me busy both at work and at home.
So I guess what I am saying is, it's not that bad..... in fact it's been great!
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