My new hair-do

Maleen commented on a previous post about how often I blog (more than 1 post per day last month) and then here I am not posting anything for over a week. Waht is wrong with me?!? :)

I got my hair cut. Jessie did a fabulous job. She cut several inches (approx 4 of 5) off and colored it. I was nervous about going brunette, but I am in love with it!! I am still trying to get used to the short hair, but I am very very used to the brown. It is fabulous. I know these aren't the best pictures, but here I am in all my brunette glory!
A side-shot to try to show how short it is...

This was shortly after a shower and I'm in my pj's...don't judge!

THIS IS AN AWFUL PICTURE!! (just thought I'd warn you). I let her cut side bangs and I was super nervous but I'm really liking them now. They are cute.

And this is a close-up just to help you see the color. It really does look super good and I am so happy with it. Thanks Jess!!

P.S. If any of you are looking for an amazing haircut, color, manicure, pedicure, scalp treatment, deep conditioning etc call Jessie! She is a student and Marinelo's (previously Bon Losee) and she does a great job. They're also priced reasonably because they are students. Try it out. She'd LOVE to help you!!

My support system

The first block of the academy is over. When I first started I thought it would never end. And then faster than I can imagine it is over! We now have a 4 month break. We won't be taking 4 months off. Every week, once a week, we will be getting together as a class to study and practice arrest tactics and PT. It will help us keep our skills sharp.

I have learned so much already, and not just about law enforcement. It's amazing how much you can learn about yourself and your life in a few short months. I have also gained 36 very close friends. It's amazing how quickly you get close to people. Spending 6 days a week together for 3 months kind of forces you together I guess. But to me it's more than forced friendship. I have already made friends in my class that will be life-long friends. I feel like I have known these people much longer than 3 months.

We have a guy in our class who's wife was diagnosed with cancer the last week of school. It is amazing already how much we have come together to be there for him. We really do have a "no child left behind" philosophy that I take personally. If a person doesn't do well on a test, the whole class does everything we can to help that person. If a person can't run very well, the whole class stays right there with them so they aren't alone. We have a kid who has, with the help and support of friends in our class, lost over 50 pounds and is still losing weight. He will pass his PT in November because of people in our class. When our class president was riding in a bike race, we all got very concerned when there was a serious accident with several people injured in that race. When I saw that on the news I immediately thought of my friend and texted to make sure he was ok. I wasn't the only one.

We are there for each other. We have a complete and inmovable support system that is 36 people strong. It is amazing to me the comradery that comes from being in a class like police academy. I may end up working with these people at some point and my life may depend on them or theirs on me. When you know your life depends on people, you trust those people. I am just grateful for the life-long amazing friendships I have gained. Nothing could have prepared me for the blessings I would recieve from making the choice to start academy. Through all my doubts and struggles, I know I was supposed to start when I did, with the people I'm with. I could have started at any time with any group of people, but I believe I started with these people for a reason. And I am grateful for that. I started with these people, I will end with these people, and I will be forever friends with these people. So thank you to my academy friends for being there for me when I need you!

He said "this much"

I was playing around on facebook and found a quote on my friends page that I read and re-read. I couldn't get it out of my mind. It was amazing!

"I asked God how much he loves me, he said "this much" he stretched out his arms and died."

I think it kind of makes light of the situation, but at the same time it also makes me realize just how much He loved me. I am so grateful for the sacrifice He made for me. So much lately I have been reminded of (and sometimes forgot) the sacrifice and pain He went through on my behalf. There is a song (I can't remember the name) that says "How many drops were shed for me?" and I think that's an important thing to remember. He knows what I'm feeling. He has felt every thing I'm going through. He has already been through every trial for me and I need to turn to Him for help when I get stuck during them. He died for me because He loves me. He was selfless and merciful. He will never leave me alone!

MY GUN!!!

Yes, I have my own gun. I have been wanting to get it for a long time but just kept putting it off. First I couldn't really afford it, then my roommates didn't want me to get it. So after I moved and saved up some money I finally got it. I am so excited. I did alot of research to see what kind I wanted to get. I haven't ever really shot before except for twice, and both of those times I went with an officer and just shot their duty gun.

*This may not mean alot to most people...I'm still learning what it means!

I was told by several people that a 9mm is easier to learn on than a .45 or .40. I was also told that 9mm is easier for girls to shoot because it has less of a recovery time. I asked several people who have been shooting for awhile and several officers (since that is what I need my gun for) and took their advice. They also said Glock is the easiest to field strip and only has 5 parts to put together. And as far as a Glock goes they said that a full size will be easiest for me to shoot rather than compact.

So I FINALLY settled on a Glock 17. I am so pleased with it. I ended up getting it brand new, with night sights and 3 magazines for about $600 dollars. That seems like alot, but it's a good deal. Also when I go to buy my 1500 rounds of ammo it will be much cheaper to by 9mm ammo than it will to buy .45 or .40 so that is a good save too. I haven't shot my gun yet, but I am very excited about it. So here it is, in all it's glory. I don't really need it until Jan when the next block of school starts, but I'm glad I have it now. It's one thing done that I don't have to worry about anymore!

I have taken the advice of several of my officer friends and will be doing "practices" this fall. I will be standing in the isocoles position, with my gun straight out and stand there for as long as possible. This is something they have you do often in the academy and if you don't do it they make you run an awful hill or do pushups or something else bad like that! :) I'm also going to place a penny on the very edge of my gun and "shoot" (dry fire...just pull the trigger) to get the same recoil without actually shooting to practice keeping the penny there. Apparently that is something they make you do often as well. I was also told to practice shooting with someone standing behind you yelling and screaming...to mimick the instructors once school starts...but I don't know how often I'll actually go shooting. I am anxious and excited to shoot my gun, but I don't want to learn to shoot wrong and then have to correct bad habits. I'd rather just wait and learn the right way in the academy, so we'll see. But YAY for having my gun already!!

Dinner

I think I need to eat a more healthy dinner. I wasn't feeling very well today when I went to work so I just decided to eat dinner when I got home...aka cereal. Wheat Chex are healthy, right?!? ;P I could have eaten leftover meatloaf, but I didn't really like it the first time so I'm positive I wouldn't like it the second time. Gotta love being an adult and being able to eat cereal for dinner!

Hair ties

I got some new hair ties...hair bows, hair bands etc. I love them. I'm trying to wear my hair down more and more so these will help me be able to do that and not go crazy! :) This isn't the best picture ever (I know) but here is one of them. They're kind of cute!

Police picture

I found this picture and I loved it and thought I would share it. I thought it was cute and very fitting for me! :)

Adventure time!

Meriam and I were bored out of our minds tonight after the birthday barbeque. Lori went out dancing with some friends and everyone else left so it was just the 2 of us. We tried coming up with something to do for a long time before deciding to go on a drive. Meriam wanted us to just drive and let the road take us where it wanted! :) We drove up through the hills in provo and then drove up the canyon. Meriam hadn't been to Squaw Peak (that she could remember) so we drove up there so she could see the view. Then we drove down on West Geneva Road (next to the lake) and drove through Lindon. We drove around for about 1 hour 45 minutes or so. After all that driving we stopped at 7-11 and got slurpee's and candy and came home to watch a movie (Wedding Planner...can never go wrong with that movie). It was such a silly night and we didn't do anything worth while, but we had a really good time! I love adventure time with my cousins!! :)

Happy Birthday!

Today was Lori's birthday. She turned the big 40!! Abe and Meriam were so excited to celebrate and they were nice enough to let me help. They went shopping and got all kinds of food and I helped them make some pasta salad and get everything ready. They also made Lori's favorite home-made cookies and cream ice cream (which was delicious!) and bought some awesome cupcakes. We had the family over (Lori, Abe, Meriam, Me, Grandma, Grandpa, Scott, Nicole, Marren, Mason, Cameron, Courtney, James and Melissa--the last 2 are family friends) and had a great barbeque. It was fun to hang out and celebrate our fabulous aunt diva... :) She's great and I'm glad we're family and glad we're friends! Happy birthday!

Safety Fair

Today I woke up early with grandpa telling me that I needed to call Nicole (my aunt) because she was trying to get ahold of me all morning. I called her and she was desperate. She was putting on a safety fair for her ward primary children and she had a 911 dispatcher that was supposed to come. Well this morning that dispatcher called and canceled on her so she called me to ask for my assistance. I was more than happy to help so I told her I would be there.

She had the whole church parking lot set up. She had 3 groups: Fire safety, Bike safety and 911. They also did a "stranger danger" group and general safety. My dad brought the PG ambulance and taught Fire safety. My uncle Scott (Nicole's husband) brought his Provo police car and taught bike safety and stranger danger. And then I helped Nicole teach the 911 class. It went really well. The kids loved the ambulance siren and they crawled all over that thing. Scott had set up an awesome bike course that the kids loved and he even used his radar to see how fast they were going when they came out. They thought that was awesome. And I helped to teach the kids when, where and how to call 911 and what to do after they called.

I think it was very successful! I wasn't going to at first because of my recent surgery (hence the reason they got a different dispatcher), but I'm glad the other dispatcher fell through and I was able to help. It was so much fun and I love teaching kids about 911 and police. It was also fun because my 3 cousins, Marren, Mason and Cameron were all there participating. I think I even got through to Cameron a little about 911...and that aliens aren't really a good reason to call the police but bad guys are. :) Gotta love kids!

Still weak

Well my grandma isn't doing too well still. She's getting weaker. Grandpa took her to the doctor today and the doctor gave her some new medicine. They still aren't sure what's causing the weakness and the pain and it's starting to get her down. I think it would get anyone down to be stuck in bed day after day getting weaker with no idea why. Grandpa and I feel like our hands are tied and like we should be able to do more. He did ask my dad to give her a blessing. I believe that blessings work and I know grandma does too. I hope the blessing works! We need our grandma back the way she used to be. We need her to be happy and mobile and herself again. I know that's what she wants. Please keep her in your prayers as it's the last thing we can think of right now.
This was from last year. She was able to get around and do the things she loved to do. We aren't expecting all of her problems to go away. We just want her to be able to walk around without fear of falling and pain and to sit in her chair and enjoy her family. It's possible, we just have to find a way!

PAIN!

Man...you would think that 5 small holes in your wrist wouldn't cause too much pain, right? WRONG! I am in so much pain right now. Actually, I'm finally on the down-hill side of the pain, but I went through a good deal of it up until now. The hardest thing for me is that it's my right arm that had the surgery on it and I'm right handed. It's hard not to use it. I want to brush my hair, eat my food, brush my teeth, dress myself etc using my hand but can't. There's a little bit of a learning curve and I forgot to curve with it at first!

But I'm doing ok. Today is the third day since surgery and today is the worst day by far. I also decided not to take pain medication today. I'm trying to get myself off it and just take tylenol. It was a rough day, but the day is over and things are looking up! :) So keep me in your prayers and I'll keep praying that things heal quickly!