Helping Others

So here I am again.  Had a busy week and am ready for the weekend off so we can do the whole "Halloween thing" with the boys.

So while working last week I was going about my business.  It was nearing the end of my shift but I saw a car that I was able to stop for a minor violation.  Before I even exited my car, I saw an infant car seat in the back seat, and from where I was, it was evident this seat was not even close to being installed correctly.  I contacted the driver and I told her why I stopped her.  I then asked her about the infant and about the car seat and went in to my car seat lecture.  If you know much about me, I have become somewhat of a car seat Nazi.  I asked her if the base was secured with the latch system or seat belts.  She seemed confused and finally stated it was in with seat belts.  I then asked her older daughter in the back seat to try and wiggle the base of the seat.  It had waaaay to much movement and give.  I also saw the chest clip was at the baby'  groin.  I instructed her on the reason the chest clip needed to be at the chest.  I returned to my car and made sure she had a valid driver's license.  I also called for my partner to come to my stop since he is a certified car seat installer.  I know how to put car seats in, but without that certification there is too much liability involved for me to do it.  At that point I made the decision not to write her ANY traffic tickets, even though I could have had at least 3-4.  She didn't need tickets, she needed a safe car seat install.  My partner and I then went back and talked to her.  She agreed to let him properly install the car seat.  I also helped her with the chest clip placement and tightness of the straps.  Her baby was beautiful.  She had the flawless ebony skin with a little tuft of hair pulled into a tiny bundle with a little headband around her head.  She also had cute little purple studs in her little pierced ears.  She slept the whole time unphased by what was going on.  I educated her on why we were doing what we were doing.  She was soooo thankful.  I noticed her infant seat was expired by around 2 years.  If I had the extra money in my bank, I would have gone and gotten her a convertible seat on the spot since the baby was already 9 months old.  Since I don't have the money to spare, I told her who she could talk to in order to get her sweet baby into a safe car seat.  We finished the car seat install on the side of the road and sent her on her way.  I finished my paperwork for the stop and went back to the station because it was time for shift change and time to go home.  As I was checking my equipment back in, I pulled her license out of my back pocket.  Luckily she told me where she was going so I called the shop real fast and the owner, who knew the driver personally, thanked me again for what we did for her friend and told me they would wait for me to get off work.  I left and returned her license and was again thanked for helping her.  It was a great feeling.  Our job is not always about writing tickets.   Sometimes it's about educating and often about helping.  It warmed my heart to know that she was thankful for what we did in the interest of safety for her baby, I just wished that I could have done more to help.

A few days ago we got to participate in some force on force active shooter training.  It was great training.  Even though it wasn't "real," it still got the adrenaline going.  I didn't get hit with any simunition rounds, but I about took a headshot at the hands of a "bad guy" waiting at the top of the stairwell.  That put some reality in to it.  That is why I don't like stairwells. I dove back around the wall for cover and my team and I gathered ourselves and pressed on.  The "shooter" had retreated so we had to find him, which we did.  He took a few sim rounds and the scenario ended shortly thereafter.  It was a fun training, but the seriousness of it was not lost on any of us.  We all know that this could legitimately happen someday in our jurisdiction so we want to be prepared.  We finished out the day with some live firearms training at the range for a stress course.  Did great until the pie plates.  Those darn things hang me up every time.  My LT did tell me that I was the most efficient in clearing the jam the instructors created on the AR-15 so that felt good to know. 

Sunday I had the pleasure of talking to 2 classes of 2 year olds at a local church about police officers and what we do. They were learning about the "Good Samaritan."  They got to sit in the car and have their picture taken.  They were also given a bunch of coloring books and a sticker for their parents to place on their car seats that identified them in the event of an accident in case their parents were unable to communicate with emergency crews.  They learned about what I carry on my belt and they were told that our job was to help them and keep them safe.  The second class went through a fire drill while I was there.  Before that they talked to a firefighter who taught them about what they do.  It was all good until he masked up...then the TEARS STARTED!  I may have smirked a little.  All I could think was..."they didn't cry for me, hahaha!" 

Wednesday I was honored to help escort a group carrying a flag across the country in a relay similar to the Torch Run for Special Olympics.  This was the Old Glory Coast to Coast relay.  The run began September 11 at the VA Hospital in San Fransico, CA and will end November 9 at Bethesda Navel Hospital in Washington DC.  The run was sponsored by teamrwb.org (Team Red White and Blue) and is trying to raise money for various Veteran Services.  As the run comes through an area, a team can "sponsor" the day.  The daily course can be ran by as many or as few as a daily team needs, just as long as they reach the destination by dusk of that day.  I escorted 2 runners across the river bridge and watched as they handed the Flag off to another runner for her leg of the relay.  I escorted her out of town and was able to snap this pic at a stoplight.  It was a humbling experience and I admire them for what they are doing!

So enough about work.  Let's get in to my crazy boys.  While at home the other day, my husband calls me and tells me that our oldest must have exploded a marker.  There was green marker all over the kitchen floor and the living room wood floor.  He cleaned it up and asked our oldest about it.  He lied and said his little brother did it.  My husband then saw green marker all over the bottom of the oldest's feet.  I feel we need to speak with our son about "spontaneous utterances."  Without saying a word about the marker on the feet, he looked at my husband and said "I'm sorry Daddy, I won't color my feet anymore."  He cleaned him up in the tub and we thought that was the end of it.  We were wrong.  I walked in to the bedroom as we were getting ready to leave a few nights ago and saw my husband had green marker all over his face.  He didn't know why.  The search was on for the marker, since we never recovered it the first time.  We looked and looked and looked.  We also cleaned up more green marker on the floor.  I then happened to look at a foam sword laying on the ground.  It had a point.  This sword should not have a point.  I looked closer and discovered this:

 

Somehow our oldest had shoved a marker in to the tip of the sword.  We had to walk away to keep him from seeing us laugh and applaud his creativity.  He's 4,how did he think to do this.  It was awesome.  It was then discovered that my husband had green marker on his face because he had been sword fighting with our son and took some shots to the face.  AWESOME!!!!!

 

 

So I am making a commitment to myself during this day shift rotation to lose 10 pounds.  That's all I ask for, nothing crazy, but easier said then done.  Since I have hypothyroidism, it has always been twice as hard for me to lose weight.  I began eating better, working out more consistently, and began distance running again.  In two weeks I have lost...are you ready for this...are you sure...2 pounds.  Its very deflating to work so hard and see no results.  I am not fat by any means, but I could stand to lose weight.  I will always have body image issues since my whole teenage existence was spent being the overweight girl that was made fun of behind my back, or so they thought it was behind my back.  It haunts me to this day.  I never want to be that girl again.  My heaviest was 200 pounds.  My lightest 160 and that was after the birth of our oldest.  But I want to lose weight and I know with good support I can.  I need to be held accountable for my workouts and my intake.  I miss my Frappuccino's and comfort foods, but if giving them up is what it takes, then it's what I have to do.  I had stopped distance running for a while, but decided to pick it back up a few weeks ago.  I dropped my 5k time to within 2 minutes of my best time when I was running everyday.  Here is the stopwatch photo:

 

 





Our boys started a new babysitter recently.  We love her.  I already knew her from playing softball together so when we had to suddenly find a new sitter, she told us she was ready to open her business.  We have not regretted the decision.  She has a young boy as well so the boys all play well together.  They do crafts and have a lot of fun. They got to paint pumpkins yesterday!  They loved it.  Our oldest loves Halloween anyway so this was a great activity. 

So it's time for me to go get ready to help my husband's VFW post.  They are having a fish fry and the auxiliary members are serving the food.  We get adult contact and the boys get to see mamaw and papaw so it is a win win! 

So that is all for this installment.  I hope y'all enjoyed!  Feel free to comment about things you would like to see my write about either in my home or work life.

First time Blogger!

So, this is my first time trying this whole "blogging thing."  Anyway, for starters I will introduce myself. 

So my name is Mindy.  I've been married to my husband since 2009 and we have 2 of the most gorgeous sons God could have blessed us with, ages 4 and 20 months.  We also have a fur baby that we adopted in 2008.  He is a Golden Retriever/collie mix.  The boys love him, he doesn't love the boys.  We sound like the typical American family right...married with 2 kids and a dog, but here is the kicker...My hubs and I are both cops!  Now we can throw normal out of the window since our lives are anything but.

When we found out we were pregnant with our second child, my husband had the opportunity to switch to the Civil Division at his department which gained him a Monday through Friday 8-4:30 job with weekends and holidays off.  He's pretty lucky right...not so much.  He has had to step up and play Mr. Mom when I work nights so he becomes mom for the night rotation.  He gets the bathe them, feed them, and put them to bed.  I couldn't ask for a more wonderful man in my life. 

My husband served in the USMC Infantry and was deployed twice, the first deployment being to Nasiriya, Iraq during the initial Iraqi invasion.  His unit suffered heavy losses and saw things that 21 year old men don't need to see.  This haunts him to this day.  We were finally able to get him a PTSD diagnosis and he began receiving treatment through the VA.  He is much better now, but we struggle.  His memory suffers a lot and this in turn causes a lot of frustration for him but all I can do it be there for him. Thank goodness he loves to work out and take care of himself, it gives him an outlet for any pain he is feeling inside and gives him a healthy way to let it out.

My boys...  they are just the best thing since sliced bread, but they could NOT be any more different if I tried.  Our 4 year old is super hyper, can't sit still, and is 100% boy.  The amount of stress this child causes cannot be put in to words.  Nothing like walking in to the living room while cooking dinner to see him (2.5 at the time) standing on the arm of the couch with 2 cushions below. I walked in just in time to hear "I'm Superman" and jumped!  Thank goodness he hit the pillows and he got right back up.  We've not always been so lucky...he has had his share of ER visits but nothing ever more than stitches needed.  Our 4 year old started pre-school this year and got glasses.  Lots of changes.  I can honestly say that I wasn't upset when he started school and I had to try not to smirk at all the SAHM crying as they walked away from the classroom.  I guess it didn't bother me since the boys have been in daycare since they were 8 weeks old.

Our lil guy...He is the sweetest child I have ever met.  He melts my heart when he smiles with his big dimples and shaggy blonde hair (that he was born with.)  He is always happy.  He goes to bed happy and he wakes up happy.  The only time he isn't happy is when it comes to food.  That boy LOVES to eat.  I would certainly have 6 more of him if we could afford it, but sadly we cannot. 

As far as I am concerned... I earned a B.S in Criminology and a B.S. in Sociology in 2007.  I was lucky enough to graduate with Cum Laude Honors.  I went to the police academy in 2007 and was hired with my current department before I graduated.  It was great not having to worry about finding a job.  I am one of 2 women in my department, so its fun.  I was the only one for about 4 years.  I don't mind.  If it wasn't for this job, I would not have met my husband.  We met in jail.  Yes you read that right.  We met in jail.  GASP!  I was dropping prisoners off to his department for housing and he finally gained the courage to come talk to me.  He came to me, kicked his feet back and forth like a shy guy, and started talking.  The rest is history.  He proposed 4 months later.  We told that story at our Catholic Engaged Encounter and you should have seen the look of horror on the faces of these "Good Catholic Kids."  Then we explained it, yet there was one couple in there that shook their head in agreement making us think they really did meet in jail, as inmates.  oops.

So I can't really post specifics about my job because I just can't.  But I will try to chronicle my boring life as a part time SAHM and a full time working woman.  For instance, lil guy had his PAT 18 month screening yesterday.  He excelled, which I knew he would.  There was a parents playgroup afterwards.  We shall not be going back.  It was evident they were all SAHM and had already formed their "group"  I sat next to them and not one effort was made by anyone to make me feel welcome.  I guess this is what being the new kid in school feels like.  To make matters worse, some of the kids were down right mean and their mothers said nothing to them.  One child, who was about lil guys size, took toys away from everyone and proceeded to slap, punch, and push my boy while his mother said NOTHING.   I made my way over to him and pulled lil guy away and gently told the other boy "no hit" and still nothing from his mother.  I let my boys explore and I don't hover, but I will not let another child beat up on my kid while his mother says nothing to him.  We work out at the YMCA and the boys go to child watch where they play with other kids, plus they go to daycare when I work so I think it's safe to say they are socialized.

As much as I love my job, it has made me so skeptical of people.  I don't trust a lot of people and I don't have a lot of friends.  Several of my friends introduce me as "Mindy, my cop friend."  I know this happens but you don't see people introduce their friend as "Susie, the teacher" or "Jessie the hairstylist."  Why does that have to be a thing.  I don't know.  We have gotten close as a couple to another couple from my husband's VFW post which is awesome.  I knew them both in high school and we always got along, but weren't in the 'Hanging out" crowd.  They have never introduced us as cops...I like that.  I also have 280 of the coolest girlfriends ever.  While on an "Exclusively Pumping (breastmilk)" group on Facebook I was introduced to the "February Mommies."  These are the most loving and supportive group of women ever.  We are mommies that were pregnant with due dates in February 2013.  There has been loss and heartache for some mommas, but there have been many rainbows after the loss.  I have been honored and blessed to meet many of these mommies.  While almost all conversations have been behind a computer screen or text messaging, none of the mommy meets have been at all weird.  We just get each other.  We were even blessed to stay with someone whose family has become near and dear to my heart through this group when we vacationed to SoCal.  The Guth's allowed us to stay in their RV in their driveway for a whole week.  It was awesome and we were so sad to leave, but we know that it isn't goodbye, it was just "see ya later"

Hopefully I can entertain y'all with my boring little life and I will try my best to post once a week on here or more if I need to!