Weeks 5, 6 & 7

Hello all!

K has been plugging away at the academy these last few weeks, I just haven't been writing updates as often ;) Today marks day one of his eighth week at the academy, here is a recap of the past three weeks...

Week Five:
This week was, by far, the best week yet because the cadets got Thursday AND Friday off for Thanksgiving! It started out great because PT was cancelled on Monday so they only had it Tuesday and Wednesday. K didn't get gigged at all this week and no cadets were sent home or quit...hooray! They were supposed to be released at 5pm on Wednesday, but they got out early and were let out at 3pm. I left the house as soon as I could to get my cadet home for our long weekend together. This really was the best Thanksgiving we have had as a couple. My parents were out of state for the holiday so we got to pretend for a few days that we had our own place again which was really nice and relaxing. We had Thanksgiving "dinner" for lunch on Thursday, and that night we actually went Christmas shopping and had an awesome time just being together and doing normal married couple things. Friday morning we woke up before 4am to go wait in line for Black Friday deals. It was quite the experience standing outside in the cold for hours, annnnd that is probably not a tradition we will be continuing ;) The rest of the weekend we basically did nothing which felt amazing and so relaxing. Our time together was a much needed boost to keep plugging away on this six-month adventure, and I don't think I'll ever forget that Thanksgiving. Then Sunday night I drove K back to the academy and the party was over :( Back to reality.

Week Six:

The week back after the holiday started with a nice 16-hour-day on Monday. I can't even remember all that the cadets had to do that day, but it was one of those long ones where I didn't get a text from K until really late. Company A started their EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) training this week, but since K is in Company B he won't start driving until February. Statistically, most of the cadets that fail out will do so during EVOC, but so far K's class has been doing alarmingly well! No cadets left during week six for any reason. This week K had his first "earned" Wednesday night liberty! I picked him up once he got off and we drove downtown to have dinner. We also made a pit stop at our bank to deposit his first check (woot woot!). Due to the nature of difficulty at the academy, I sometimes forget that K is a paid employee of the CHP right now...I'm so thankful that he is getting top notch training AND they are paying him to do it ;) Compared to last weekend, this one was really rough! We had been so spoiled with four days together last week that two honestly felt like nothing. Plus, K brought home more shirts that had to be stenciled and I nearly lost my sanity in the process of completing those darn things. 

Week Seven:

All the cadets made it through week seven which means they haven't lost anyone since back in week four. Hopefully they can keep it up and set some sort of a record for lowest attrition rate! K had another Wednesday liberty this week so I got to spend some extra time with him. We went to Kinkos to print some academy stuff, made a Target trip, and ate dinner at a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant. It has been such a blessing to soak up every bit of time we get together, and we really had a great Wednesday night running errands and connecting with each other. On Friday, instead of the usual routine, the cadets suited up and met at the academy's indoor pool for PT. According to K, he would take swimming over normal PT any day. The only downside was they got out late and had to rush to get changed. At breakfast, K got to meet the CHP Commissioner, and then did his best to cram some food in before he had to run off to class so he wasn't late. Over the weekend we had to fix some of the stenciled shirts but I think they are officially completed, thank GOODNESS. I will never look at a fabric marker the same again...I'm dead serious. Saturday night we got to celebrate one of our friends from college graduating her police academy which was really fun! K had to write out a memo of his autobiography which he didn't end up finishing until late Sunday night and we drove him back a little later than usual.

All that being said, if we are being honest this past weekend was one of the harder ones. As most of you know I am starting an accelerated nursing program in January, and my schedule is going to be crazy. I found out this weekend that my clinical days are going to be Saturday & Sunday, while most of my classmates got Sunday & Monday. I'm not going to lie, I was, and still am, pretty bummed out. K and I hardly get to see each other as it is, and once my 12-hour clinical shifts start we will have barely any time together. Plus, we won't be able to make it to any services at our church together which is really important to us. I am trying my best to hold onto perspective, that this is a short season in the grand scheme of things, but I'm having a hard time keeping that mindset. Please be praying for us as we prepare for this change and for me as I enter a very difficult academic season. We also need major prayer for some events currently taking place at the academy. I really can't divulge much, as a lot of what K tells me is confidential, but please pray for the staff involved and that they would make wise decisions. If it all goes south, you'll hear all about it, but if it goes as we hope, all will continue as planned and you won't need to worry about a thing ;)

As I drove K back last Sunday I thought "I can't believe we are in this now, we're just out here really doing it." Over a year of planning, applying, interviewing and praying for this life, and here we are living it. It is easy for me to get discouraged when things aren't going our way, but then I look back and remember what God has brought us through and to, and I know He is orchestrating it all in our favor whether we recognize it yet or not.

Love you guys,
D

Week Four

It is hard to believe that a month has come and gone! Five more to go, piece of cake ;) Week four was challenging as usual, but they did have some new training integrated into their routine which added some new excitement. They started range training this week which seems like a nice break from all the hours spent in the classroom. I'm thankful to hear that these cadets truly do receive the best training available, especially when it comes to handling their guns. PT was brutal (no surprise) and their runs have gotten longer. Unfortunately the cadets were late to PMA one of the days, and as punishment they had to complete a 1/4 mile walking lunges...ouch.

Wednesday night detention was better for K this week because he knew what to expect.  He is getting a lot better at writing memos, but it still took him the full four hours to finish the two-pages required. Sadly, another cadet left on Friday. This was the first cadet to leave because he failed out, not because he quit. Cadets who fail out do have an opportunity to come back, but they have to start all over again with a new class. I cannot imagine having to do that!

Our weekend together was really nice because K really didn't have much studying or tasks to complete. We went Christmas shopping and scouted out some Black Friday deals since he will have Thursday and Friday off next week for Thanksgiving. I am SO excited to have him home for four whole days! We were told at orientation to enjoy this Thanksgiving while we can because once they graduate, getting holidays off is very unlikely at the beginning of their career. Thinking about that bums me out a bit because I love the holiday season, but I know we will be creating a "new normal" for our family, and I am excited to see what that looks like.

This Thursday and Friday I had orientation for nursing school and I got the meet the other 47 students in my cohort. I am so excited to finally get started on my dream of becoming a nurse, but it is certainly going to make our lives a LOT crazier! I start classes on January 4th, and due to the highly accelerated nature of the program, I will probably be busier than K is in the academy. We could not go through with the paths we are taking if we weren't certain that this is where God has called us. I anticipate 2016 to be the most challenging year we have experienced as a couple thus far, but I have faith that it will strengthen our relationship together and with Christ.

Thanks for keeping up on our journey, we appreciate all our friends and family who are praying for us :)

Blessings,
-D

Week Three

I'm calling this post my "bullet point" edition ;) Here's a quick recap of K's third week at the academy:

•Another cadet quit Monday after PT...I don't know why he would wait until after PT :(

•They started PMA this week (physical methods of arrest) and K's partner is a former Marine...luckily they both agreed to give 40% effort during their practices. In the past, cadets have been too gung-ho in PMA and injuries have occurred...not worth it fellas, save it for the real bad guys! 

•Had his first Wednesday night detention for his gigs from last week...had to write a memo that took him 4 hours and got back to his room late. 

•K has still gotten an A on every single test! #proudwife 

•Weekend: stenciled MORE shirts, had early Thanksgiving with my family, and watched every single NFL team we care about get smashed on Sunday :(

That's all the important info from week 3...week 4 will be exciting because the cadets get their guns and start range training!

Almost one month in :)

-D

Week Two

Two down, twenty-five to go! This past weekend was way more relaxing than K's first weekend home. Friday night he worked on shining his boots, and Saturday we drove upstate for my friend's baby shower and he studied on the drive. It felt great to escape reality for a day, take a mini road trip together, and catch up with our close friends. Sunday after church we got to relax for the better part of the day, and K got some more studying and boot shining in.

There isn't much to report about week two besides the fact that it was harder in some ways and easier in others than week one. The first week was hard for both K and me to cope with the changes (like barely getting to talk to each other), but we seem to have eased into a routine now that two weeks are under our belt. Although week two was easier on me at home, it definitely wasn't a walk in the park for K. The academy is now in full swing, and week two marked the start of "blue cards." Each cadet starts off the week with a certain number of blue cards, and if you lose three you lose a Wednesday night liberty. They call it a "gig" if you lose a card, and the cadets can get gigged for just about anything if a staff officer feels they are not living up to academy standards. Unfortunately, K has already gotten enough gigs to lose the next two Wednesdays in a row :( However, since they didn't start gigging them until this week, all of the cadets were allowed this Wednesday night off! I was able to come pick K up at the academy Wednesday night around 6pm and we went out to sushi together. We see each other so infrequently that K even sat next to me instead of across the table...I felt like one of those lovey-dovey couples in public who have to constantly hold hands, but we didn't really care! On our way back to the academy we stopped at Walmart to grab a few things, and sure enough there were other cadets there, too, roaming the aisles. I dropped him off at around 8pm so he could study and get to bed in good shape. Having that middle of the week time together really made week two go by so much quicker! Hopefully he can earn some more off in the near future.

Another cadet quit this week which brought them down from 110 to 107. It is so crazy to me that people spend over a year of their life trying to get to this academy only to quit, but that just shows how challenging it actually is. As I drove K back on Sunday night after the weekend, I was so happy to hear him say how shocked he was that week three was already here. I worry that the time drags on for him making those remaining 25 weeks so daunting. One of K's instructors hit the nail on the head when he said "the days are long but the weeks are short."

-D

Week One

Well, I just dropped K back off at the academy after his first weekend home. It was so nice to have a full two days together to hear all the details about week one!

K got off around 6pm Friday, and when I first saw him he already seemed different, but in a good way. His voice was nearly gone from all the yelling they have to do! He said he got a total of 17 hours of sleep for the whole week...crazy! Sadly, two cadets already left during week one, and I'll be curious to hear how many don't come back after the weekend. That 50% attrition rate is no joke. This week was extremely difficult as the cadets adjusted to academy life with all of its rules and regulations. According to K, pick up day (day one at academy) was crazy challenging, but PT pick up day (day one of PT--physical training) was insane. They will definitely be pushed to the limit mentally and physically over these next six months. He had his first test on Thursday (and aced it!) and has another on Monday. 

K had a lot of work to get done over the two days at home, and I spent all day Saturday stenciling his name on the back of his PT shirts while he studied and worked on a memo (a memo is similar to a short essay, but way more tedious and must be perfect). Since it was Halloween we relaxed a bit with my parents, watched scary movies and handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters. This morning we went to church, watched some football, and K studied some more. He was anxious to get back to the academy to get all squared away for tomorrow. Week one is over, and from here on out the cadets can get "gigged" which is basically a demerit that can lead to losing a Wednesday night liberty and having to write more memos. That being said, he wants to make sure everything--like his uniform and his dorm room--are in immaculate condition.

Onto week two! 

-D

Day 1

Day one has already come and gone! Yesterday K and I woke up at the hotel around 5:30am to get him all suited up and ready to officially move to the academy. I did my best to get some food and coffee in him while he got ready, but he really can't eat when he is nervous, so he pretty much started off on an empty stomach...*cue my maternal instinctive worrying.* We triple checked his bag and papers, loaded up the car, and drove down the street at around 7am where we waited in a long line of cars filled with other nervous cadets.  Instructions were to arrive between 7:15 and 7:30, no earlier and no later, and after we made it through the line to the kiosk it was 7:16...perfect!

      

When we made it to the parking lot it was a quick goodbye. K jumped out of the car, pulled out his bag as I slide into the driver's seat, and gave me a kiss and goodbye through the window. I had to zoom in and it is still really blurry, but in that bottom picture you can see him walking towards check in, toting his controversial red duffle bag. We have seen video from day one and knew in advance the staff would be tossing the cadets' bags around in a big pile, making it difficult to distinguish between the many black bags. We were advised at K's division orientation last week to tie something on his bag to make it easy to find.  Since he already has a red one he thought he might as well bring it and deal with any potential consequences of standing out too much :)

After watching my handsome cadet walk off towards his impending day 1 doom, I drove back home and spent the whole day wondering what he was doing and when I'd be able to talk to him. I knew he probably wouldn't be able to call me until late--if he was able to call me at all--so I turned my ringer on high and went to sleep. At 10:51pm (or should I say 2251 hours?) my phone rang and it was K! I swear it felt like I hadn't talked to him in days even though I had just seen him that morning.  He had just gotten back to his room so they definitely had a long first day. We were only able to talk for four minutes, but he sounded so great. He said it was a long hard day, but "it actually wasn't that bad." Music to my ears after I had spent the day picturing the worst. One of his roommates is a re-tread which means he has been to the academy before but was unable to finish for whatever reason (failed a test, got hurt...). This was a huge answer to prayer! That means this guy will already know the ins and outs of academy life and will definitely be able to help K learn the ropes quickly.

I am so looking forward to his first weekend so I can hear about everything in more detail!

-D

Orientation Day

Yesterday was the day before the big day! K, my parents and I headed down to the academy for the new cadet orientation, and the whole day felt unreal. Just driving onto academy grounds was like a crazy out of body experience. As we walked the path to the gym, we occasionally passed a few senior cadets standing at attention who would greet us with "good morning ladies, good morning
gentlemen." Their boots seemed so shiny, uniforms pressed so perfectly, and in that moment I couldn't believe that in three short months, K will be a senior cadet like them, welcoming his junior class to their orientation. We entered the gym where the program was held, found seats, and anxiously waited...along with 110 other eager cadets and their families. The orientation was very informative and offered perspectives from the academy staff, senior cadets, and even a wife of a CHP officer.

As the head honcho of the staff office excused us for a break with snacks and refreshments he made it clear that the incoming cadets were not allowed to have any, only the families. He then instructed all cadets to line up single file in the back of the gym.  A sea of bald heads stood, scrambling for their papers, and made their way to the back where they lined up and were led out the side exit. My parents and I grabbed some coffee and a cookie, not knowing at the time that the cadets were getting their first taste of academy life one building over in the cafeteria. About thirty minutes or so later, they returned to the gym and K informed us that it was intense. At first it was all good, the senior cadets talked to them for a bit and answered their questions. But all of a sudden, the seniors cleared out and in came the very vocal academy drill sergeants staff. Apparently guys got chewed out for not dressing properly (have I mentioned that you should wear a suit to everything?), making eye contact with the staff, being 'overweight,' staring down at the table instead of dead ahead, and one cadet got majorly ripped into for smiling. K managed to avoid any direct interaction but he said it was crazy! In a way we think it was a good thing, though, because it gave the cadets a heads up for what would be coming the next day.

After the break for the families and the beat down for the cadets, we finished up the presentation and were escorted in groups on a tour of the academy. We got to see the tiny dorms that K will be living in for the next 27 weeks as well as the classroom, staff office, cafeteria, and the PX store. K was able to talk with one of the seniors as we walked around which was really helpful and gave him some peace of mind. After the tour we took some pictures and then headed to Midtown for some lunch. K and I had to drive back to my parents house to grab some papers he needed, but after that we drove to our hotel right across the street from the academy. My parents' house is only about 25 minutes from the academy which is such a blessing since I will be living with them while K is there and he can easily stay with me each weekend. We thought it best to stay at a hotel nearby the night before so there was no chance of showing up late on day one!

More updates to come! Please pray for us (especially K) if you are keeping track of our story--we definitely need it during this crazy season.

Blessings,
D

Let's start from the beginning (continued)...

Remember that one time I decided to start a blog? Yeah, I should have known that I wouldn't be as on top of things as I'd originally hoped ;) Two and a half months later I am back to finish up sharing about this crazy CHP application journey!

Since August when we got the good news about K's acceptance, we have mainly been preparing for the academy and trying to soak up every bit of our time together. Although this past year has been frustrating at times through all the uncertainties, I want to be sure to look back and appreciate all the time we spent together. As we enter a new chapter, I foresee us having to fight for time together regularly - during & after the academy - and I just need to sit here for a sec and thank God for the unique season of "togetherness" he gave us in our first few years of marriage! It would be so easy for me to say "good riddance" to this challenging year, but I want to strive to see the value in each and every season of life the Lord takes us through as a family. Okay, enough sappiness for now!  In my last post I left off right before going into what the interview process looked like for K, so here's a brief recap of what he went through...

First came his initial interview on February 9, 2015 where he sat down with his background investigator for the first time. This meeting lasted about 2 hours, and K had to arrive with copies and originals of important documents such as his social security card, birth certificate, marriage license, etc. At first K was instructed by his BI to review his PHS and make any necessary changes, he was left alone in the room for this part.  Afterwards, his BI came back in, turned on a tape recorder and discussed K's PHS with him. He asked him about any mistakes he may have made and let K explain each situation he wrote down on his PHS. This interview was pretty low key, not too much interrogation, but his BI did grill him on a few things...surprisingly not the things we thought he would get grilled on though.  At the end of this they scheduled him for the Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) which is the lie detector test used by the CHP.

The CVSA came later that week on February 13, and K definitely did not enjoy this one. This isn't like the lie detectors they show in the movies where they hook you up and watch that little needle go all over the paper when you're lying, it is much less accurate. He basically just held a microphone while he answered questions about his PHS, and it was supposed to detect stress in his voice if he was lying. But based off the questions that were flagged as lies during his interview, we know it was not accurate. For example, the test showed that he lied about having applied to other law enforcement agencies...information that could easily be looked into and proven as false. But during the interview the guy administering the test kept saying things like "this is 100% accurate...we will know if you're lying...why would that question have flagged if you were telling the truth?" He pretty much tried to get K to slip up on something and was looking for discrepancies between what he said and what he wrote in his PHS. This all lasted about 3 hours.

After the CVSA, we waited over a month for the final interview of the background investigation to be scheduled. I should add that between the initial and final interviews, K's BI had contacted his references, former employers, and family members via letter and phone calls.  Some had to fill out questionnaires about K, others (like myself) were just contacted via phone and had to verbally answer some questions.  Finally, on March 26, K met with his BI for the final interview of the background investigation. Here he was asked to review his PHS again and make any necessary changes (he mainly just had to change our address). After that, his BI gave him the good news that he had passed backgrounds! K was able to ask questions about the academy and his BI gave him some pointers. At the end of the meeting he scheduled the next portion of the process which was the psychological written test.

On April 1, K took his psych written test with about six other applicants. The test was comprised of about 900 questions and took four hours long...WOW. K said it was pretty terrible to sit there for that long answering the type of questions they asked. If you're an applicant reading this, just do your best and answer as honestly as you can...there's really no way to prepare for the questions.

Next came the medical exam on April 6 where they performed various tests on K.  He had his back X-rayed, they did a blood test, got drug tested, had his hearing and vision checked and was hooked up to a heart monitor. We didn't really hear back from anyone about the medical, but we figured no news was good news! We waited from April to June to finally be contacted again, and in late June he was scheduled for the psych interview to take place on June 30.

Last but certainly not least was the psych interview where K had to sit on a couch for two hours across from a psychologist. Surprisingly enough he was not asked any questions regarding the psych written test, but about (you guessed it) his PHS. According the K this was the most brutal part of the application process.  The psychologist was constantly trying to catch K in a lie and attempted to get him to contradict himself based on what he wrote on the PHS and what he said in person.  When K came home from this one, he thought for sure he failed.  He knew he was telling the truth, but the psychologist made him feel like a complete liar. Hopefully that will encourage some applicants out there--just stick to the truth, don't change your story (or add to it) and you'll be okay!  After the psych interview we waited some more, and finally on August 7, K got his invitation to the October academy!

So there you have it! In a nutshell that is what the application process looked like, and I've listed the full timeline below.  K starts the academy in TWO days which is unbelievable...we could not be more excited that it is finally here.  I will do my best to keep this blog active throughout the process for any hopeful CHP families out there looking for info!

Blessings,
D

CHP application timeline...at least for the Walkers ;) :
7.7.14 - Online application
9.20.14 - Physical Abilities Test (PAT)
9.21.14 - Written test
10.15.14 - Instructed to fill out/submit Personal History Statement (PHS)
11.26.14 - Background Investigation Questionnaire (BIQ)
2.9.15 - Initial interview with background investigator (BI)
2.13.15 - Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA)
3.26.15 - Final interview
4.1.15 - Psychological written exam
4.6.15 - Medical exam
6.30.15 - Psychological interview
8.7.15 - Received invitation to academy
10.26.15 - Academy starts

Let's start from the beginning...

This week, K and I received the news we've been waiting to hear for a long, long time. Exactly 13 months to the day of waiting...not that anyone's counting ;)

It was about 10am on August 7, and K was coming to wake me up (first time in a LONG time I've slept that late) when I heard him repeating "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh." Earlier this week my grandma passed away somewhat unexpectedly, so my emotions were shot at this point. My sleepy mind started racing to all of the negative possible completions of that sentence when K thrust his phone in front of me with an open e-mail on the screen. The first words I read were "Congratulations! You have been selected to report to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy for Cadet,CHP, training." It had come!!! That long-awaited invitation that we had cried and sweat over for what seemed like ages had come! (Well, I did most of the crying, K did most of the sweating...) We then proceeded to jump and dance around the room like spazzes, because when you wait this long for such a life-altering answer, all composure kinda goes out the window, you know? It feels as though our CHP journey has FINALLY begun, although many events have led us to where we are today. This is my first time blogging, and I have a hodgepodge of reasons for wanting to start. Mainly, I want to document this journey.  I want to look back years from now and re-live the moments that carried us through life.  I want to go before other hopeful CHP families and share our experience so they don't have to feel so alone in a very uncertain process. I also want to create a space where our friends and family, near and far, can keep tabs on the happenings in our life. K and I just celebrated our two year wedding anniversary on August 3rd, and we have already walked through so much together in two short years. It was God's love that brought us together, His faithfulness that got us through many uncertainties, and it is His unending grace that will continue to carry us forward in our journey as a family.

That being said, let's start from the beginning.

Here is a quick recap of how we made it this far in the process. There are a lot of dates and abbreviations, but I mainly write this for the inquiring applicants and their families out there who, like myself, are grasping for every little bit of a timeline they can get during this crazy process!

It was sometime around the fall of 2013 that K decided he wanted to pursue a career with the CHP. Since then, It has been a crazy rollercoaster of testing, interviews, and lots of unknowns that have gotten us to where we are today. The CHP recently opened their application to the public indefinitely, but it hasn't always been that easy to get your name in the hat, so to speak. When K applied back on July 7, 2014, the initial application period was limited to a three day window about once every three months. We waited 10 long weeks before he would experience his first 'in person' period of the application process. On September 20, 2014 I dropped K off for the Physical Abilities Test (PAT), the first of two tests required within the same weekend in order to move on to the background investigation. This test includes push ups, sit ups, long distance and short distance running (you can find more specifics here), and K passed with flying colors...with a partially broken wrist might I add!  But that is another story for another time! Upon his completion of the PAT, he next had to take the CHP written test which took place the following day, September 21 (we highly recommend you use a study guide for this; you can get them online or at Barnes & Noble). After that, we waited about a month for his results from the test, and on October 15 we got the news that he passed the written test. At this point, K was given a little less than two weeks to fill out and submit his Personal History Statement (PHS), a huge packet of questions and information he was required to fill out for his background investigator to use in his investigation. After about another month of waiting, K was contacted for the first time by his background investigator (BI) on November 13 who gave him instructions on certain documents to be gathering in preparation for the Background Investigation Questionnaire (BIQ). K ended up scheduling his BIQ for November 26, and this meeting basically involved re-writing all of the information he had previously provided in his PHS. After filling out the BIQ, we had to wait until February 4 before he would be contacted again. On this day his BI reached out to tell him his initial interview would take place on February 9. Finally, seven months after he applied, he was scheduled for his initial interview in the background investigation process!

If you haven't guessed it already, the overarching theme of the CHP application process is waiting ;) Here is a chance to test your patience - keep an eye out for a follow up post and I'll go into what the second half of the application process looked like for us. Whoever you are out there, thank you for your interest in my blog! I hope this helps someone who may just be a few steps behind K and me in this crazy CHP journey!

Blessings,
D