T3

CONGRATULATIONS TO SCOTTSDALE'S NEWEST NIGHT TRAFFIC DUI SQUAD SUPERVISOR.

YOU WORKED HARD FOR IT AND YOU SOO DESERVE IT BABYCAKES!!!!!

Paths~

In a perfect world, no one plays favorites with kids, especially their own, and no one is supposed to play favorites at work. I think that is why HR was created. Either that or the people that are spineless wonders can't take jokes in the real world, and need babysitters. Ok, anyway..

A short.... for explanation. I remember one of my favorite Sergeants, whom I never had the pleasure of working for, pulling along side me one night and telling me he would be putting in for the K-9 position that would be opening soon. UMMM WHAT? I was young, naive (yep I did not always know everything people!!) and couldn't fathom why he would be leaving the perfect squad with the perfect hours and weekends off. He soon explained. In police land, you are either liked, well-liked, loved beyond words or are just taking up space with your fat head. This particular supervisor was loved beyond words by everyone....especially staff and he was told, he would be testing for the postion. One of my first, "ah ha," moments as a rookie. In other words, he would be going through the motions of the testing process and undoubtedly get number one, and would make his mark in the special assignment.... and that there, was the beginning of a planned path for him. One that he never thought he would take. If you know nothing about government, know this... It is not what you know... IT IS WHETHER THE PEOPLE THAT COUNT, LIKE YOU. Ok, half joking. (Side Note: He is one of the most loved Commanders now. Paths I tell you... they are laid out for you when you least expect it and most often, rather than not, you should follow it... if only out of morbid curiosity!!! ... Just sayin')

If you didn't think I was serious about being really out of it the past month.... trust in this...... On TJ's work days, I seriously may have said 15 words to him and spent about 5 minutes awake with him. I am not joking. This is not good because we destress together after his shift and he tells me things that he needs to talk about. I return the favor by ranting and raving about how one small child swallowed a magnetic steel ball or how one sassy girl is going to get her mouth duct taped shut if she is not careful. At any rate, somehow, someway, Tommy and I missed one very, very large...... GIGANTIC, conversation with each other this month.

A path had been set for Tommy. At work, that is. I knew that this would happen. Eventually. Unfortunately there were some obstacles that he had to take the lead on and overcome, or the path was going to be blocked. Still, we didn't catch each other to discuss this. Kinda like me forgetting to tell him I am pregnant-kind-big-stuff. *(NOOOOOOOOOOOO, I am not pregnant... just an example...BREATHE TOMMY)

Imagine my surprise when I listen to my answering machine one afternoon to hear some random guy leave, my guy, a message about his start date for school. I thought maybe he had misspoken and meant some kind of specialized training school, at work. I wondered if he was going to be traveling for his training and if I was going to tag along........ Fingers crossed we are hitting VEGAS BABY! (I have my priorities!!)

Yeah, not so much.

When we finally sat down for dinner I asked him about the message. He looked at me sort of puzzled and then said,

"Oh I guess I didn't tell you, or did I? I am going back to school. I am testing for Lieutenant."

Yeah, I think I would have remembered that one. I think I would have remembered that I needed to come up with, oh $16,000.00.... by, like, Tuesday, of last week. Yeah, I think, nope, I know I would have remembered if someone would have mentioned any of this to me, prior to the week before school starting. The kids sat staring with their mouths full-on open, with food inside them.

Jax is really inquisitive about Daddy going back to school. Of course none of it made sense when I joked....
Here is how it works.
Daddy goes to school.
Daddy tests for Lieutenant.
Daddy makes Lieutenant.
Mommy forks out $16 grand for a $12 grand raise.
Jax just stared into space at that point. I told him I was kidding. Kinda.

Daddy gets to start doing homework with the kiddos now, so that is really cool to them. They don't quite understand what his homework will entail. I do know that, technically, Tommy could retire and be a stay at home Dad right along side stay at home Mom. Spending every waking and sleeping and resting and working out and shopping and lunching and playing and teaching the kids about school stuff, and cleaning the house, and ..... oh man that list is getting long.........minute of every day of every week of every month, with me.

Yep, Tommy is going back to school. And come hell or high water, if Tommy retires from the force in 4 years.... this schooling better come in handy for his second career!

Just kidding Hon, I love you and am so proud of your decision to do this! You are going to do amazing!

And I can't wait, to one day, pin your Lieutenant badge on you!

No pressure!

Solo Friday...

I was so lucky to be on my own tonight that I was actually kinda sad. Thanks to Grammie and Grampie Jensen, who took all three munchies right after school, so I could get to gettin' on my Christmas stuff that I absolutely needed to finish. I had a million and five things to do, Tommy was working the DUI task force with his entire squad, so I got the chance to fly solo anywhere and everywhere I wanted to go tonight.


Problem was:


As I got off the freeway at McDowell and the 101, because traffic was absolutely insane, I watched the Gilbert motorsquad turn onto Hayden, all 6 of them, in unison, and I was so sad. I remember how incredibly fun task force time is and I knew what a great time all 8 members of Tommy's squad were going to have tonight. Times like this just grate on my heart and I miss it so dang much.


I didn't get to talk to Tommy all night, thanks to a dead cell phone, but it was probably better that way. It had been a long week and seeing those guys just flooded back a lot of memories. Memories I knew I was going to re-live come wake up time when Tommy would tell me the tales of his night! And that he did.


Thankfully, the 4, two man (and one woman) cars, known as ADAM units, took 6 very drunk individuals off the road and arrested quite a few more people for other things. I love the stories and hearing what an amazing group of people Tommy has working for him. It still makes me cringe to hear people are still drinking and driving (Tommy's girl blew over a .20) with the laws as strict as they are.


I am so proud to say that I give up my husband, an average of 70 hours a week, to drunk drivers, drug dealers, dirtbags and simply stated, stupid humans, so my kids can play and sleep in safety everyday. Thankfully, all these men and women are willing to give up their time with their families, as well.

You guys and are, seriously, LOVED dearly!!!!

Here's to volunteering to work for no pay!

Strike a Pose~

Yep, it is official. My hubby is the newest celebrity to pose for the one thing you don't want to get when you reside in that one expensive city we all know and well... you get the picture.

My hubby was chosen as the face of the new alarm brochures that officers will hand out to owners of residences and businesses that are having, oh shall we say, difficulty understanding that it is not a good thing to have constant false alarms on their record ....

a.k.a.

WASTING THE POLICE OFFICER'S (or Sgt's) TIME!!

We can't wait for the actual brochure to come out!!!

Family, Friends, Fun.....

celebrating friendships, and remembering 9-1-1!

What a fun night we had here at the Jensen house! Tommy started out wanting a "simple" squad party since he supervises a new amazing group of men and women. It slowly grew. And grew. And grew. Considering he ony has 5 people that work for him..... this somehow turned into 10 times that!

What a great night we all had. Tons of kids on the jumpee. Even more kids (ahem... adult kids, that is) on the Wii and playing Guitar Hereo. We had friends from the gym and work and some that we have not seen in forever here. Family and fun just rounded out the evening when we celebrated Pudgie's birthday!

You know it was a fun night when your social butterfly of a little girl sleeps 13 hours straight!!

SQUAD "D"

I LOVE PARTIES. IT IS THE BEST EXCUSE TO CLEAN THE HOUSE BUT AN EVEN BETTER ONE... TO MESS IT UP!

TOMMY HAD HIS ENTIRE SQUAD OVER TO THE HOUSE FOR DINNER AND ... AHHHHEEMMM... A LITTLE XBOX 360 AND Wii PLAY TIME. NOW, FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS ALL THAT JAX HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS HIS RATHER GOOD SHOOTING ABILITIES, FOR AN 8 YEAR OLD, WHEN PLAYING ANY HALO GAME. A CHALLENGE WAS SET FOR OUR LITTLE MAN BY MR. BOB. YOU SEE... MR. BOB IS AN ONLINE PLAYER ON THE 360. WELL, JAX HAS ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR AT ALL. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THIS COMES FROM! (TOMMY, YOU KNOW HE GETS IT FROM ME!)

WELL...SUFFICE TO SAY...MR. BOB WON...OH WAIT...DID I HEAR IT CORRECTLY...MR. BOB SET MY 8 YEAR OLD UP AND WHAT? YOU GOT IT... HE CHEATED.......CHEATED ON AN 8 YEAR OLD. JAX WAS COOL WITH IT. I THINK THE SCORE WAS SOMETHING LIKE 10-6.... PRETTY GOOD FOR JAX I WOULD SAY! ALL IN GOOD FUN!!! YOU KNOW THOUGH... HE IS PRACTICING FOR ROUND TWO!

WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD. LOTS OF KIDS AND YELLING AND CHATTING AND GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHERS FAMILIES! IT WAS A BLAST.

NEXT TIME... POOL PARTY!!! (AHEM, ARIC...WITH CLOTHES ON)

BY THE WAY, THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR EACH OTHER.... YOU GUYS AND GALS ARE AN AWESOME SQUAD AND WE LOVED HAVING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN OUR HOME!