Shadows~

When Tommy and I met at the Police Department I was the new blonde rookie and he was the baby on his squad that had like 250 years of police experience between them all. He had been there for a few years already. I always looked up to Tommy but never told him that. (most likely because I fell in love with him the first time I saw him.. I was seriously a bumbling idiot around him) I knew the boy loved traffic so I tried to emulate him as much as possible even though it was rare we ever worked together in my first year or so on the force. It took all of 16 months before I started dating Tommy and by then, we both had established some pretty amazing reputations.

When we got married there were bets placed against us and always the whispers but a few things always remained solid... our reputations and work ethics. Neither of us ever outshined the other. Our work styles always complimented the others.

When Tommy and I went through motor school together, we set the bar extremely high for couples within the department. A seriously high bar. We did what no one else had done and to make it even more amazing, I was the first girl to do it. From October 12, 2000 (Tommy's 30th birthday) on, Tommy lost his identity at work. It has always haunted me. Tommy instantly became....... "De Anna Jensen's husband.... you know "their" female motor." He lived in my shadow for a long time. He rode that motor better than me and yet he was always put on the back burner... newspapers and t.v. stations paid the attention to me and always put him in my shadow as, "my husband and riding partner," never giving him the credit he so readily deserved. He never once complained... ever.

I am sure that it was not easy. It still isn't. Heck, this man married me and I am not an easy person to be married to let alone be eye to eye and neck and neck in a career with. After my wreck, it still took a while for people to stop calling Tommy, "De Anna's husband." Every once in a while he gets kidded and even I will say... "don't you forget whose boy you are!" It is a running joke with us.

Tommy finally has gotten his chance to shine. There are no more shadows! I am here to tell you, he is as bright as the sun nowadays. In September he was promoted and gave up his motorcycle. That was the last thing that connected him to my shadow and I was very thankful to watch that thing go..for now. As Cmdr. Haenel said to everyone today, riding that motor is the best place in the department... and I know one day you will head back to it Tommy!!

For now,
Today is the day that the city did Tommy's formal promotion ceremony with all the dignitaries present. I could not have been more proud of his accomplishments. In the past 7 months Tommy has changed peoples careers in major ways and started putting all of his experience into play with all the men and women who now work for him.

I surprised Tommy by having all of our family at the ceremony. I even took Jax and Brinkley out of school for the day. I know how proud they are of him. They saw the countless hours he put into studying and now understand how that hard work has paid off. Today I wanted them to see it first hand. Jax was amazed to see all the Chiefs and Commanders and asked so many questions about how he can become a Sergeant or a Chief one day. (Nothing like skipping the ranks kiddo...way to aim high!)

Today was Tommy's day to shine. A day that has been a long time coming for him. I loved sitting back and being in his shadow. It is a place I have never been in my life and it was pretty cool! I think I could handle this place every once in a while!

Thank you Tommy for giving me the honor of pinning on your Sergeant's badge.... You have no idea how proud of you I am...How proud all of us are! I swore to myself I was not going to cry today... at least you were kind enough to join me in the tears!

Thank you Grammie Diane, Grampie Frank, Grammie and Grampie Jensen and our wonderful kids for being there to support Tommy today. He won't say it out loud to anyone but me, but it meant the world that you were there to stand and watch him receive his badge!

P.S. For those that don't know... this has been a hideous week of one disaster after another in our house. Jax was sick, Pudgie was really really sick, Binky had her weekly issues.. everyone was cranky and my house looks like a two year old went wild inside it......oh wait, he did and so did an 8 and 6 year old! To top it all off, I go and get the absolute worst haircut of my entire life the day before this ceremoy. I had just told my good friend you never have your hair done before a function (she left for a cruise this morning and had her hair done yesterday as well.) Luckily, I have a "whatever personality" when it comes to my hair. I wrapped it up in a belt and spiked it as much as possible. WHATEVER! I will be wearing my baseball hat even more than normal for a while! Trish, thank you for the emergency slip to go under my dress. You would think with all the preparation I had made for this day I would not be such a jumble! You saved me!

I am so glad we have the next 4 days to catch our breath and the kids can get healthy and help clean and my hair can grow!