Week 3 done! Bring on week 4!

I love that every weekend he sounds better and better. Like he is figuring things out more. This weekend I was a bit more distracted. I helped his family move his stuff to the guest room and get it ready for him to come home to next weekend and help his sister get all moved into her new room. But in between the packing we got to FaceTime (seriously best technology every invented!) and I helped to quiz him on some of his work, as best as I could of course. And he does great every time! Hopefully it will be another week of 100% on all tests :) more than anything I just want to stay busy this week so that Friday night comes fast because he will be flying home for the weekend! Oh how I can't wait for next weekend! But until then I will keep encouraging and praying for John to get through another week. 3 down, 24 to go! :) and an even better count to look forward to is in exactly 2 month I get to marry my best friend! So let's count down to that first, so 8 weeks to go! Can't wait to hear what's in store for week 4. 

1/2 way done w/ week 3

So haven't been able to talk to John much these past 2 days. They got in trouble last week so they have PT every morning @ 4 because of it. So he needs to get some rest before each day so he goes to bed around 9:30-10 if he can. But Monday started the EVOC (driving) training In the classrooms. He is really excited about that. They told him that the reason most people fail out of EVOC is because they psych themselves out. They will teach his everything he needs to know about driving if he just listens and focuses. So I feel so much better about it too. When he gets relief, I get relief. So he got to be in the car when one of the trainers did a 360 on the skid pan. He said it was awesome! Spoken like a true boy. Lol but I love hearing his excitement. They have been running for obstacles in their Cadet uniforms which have been hard but good. 

He passed his first LD test this week w/ 100%. (With me to help him study of course lol) and he said he felt really good about the 2nd one too. So when he gets 100% he doesn't have homework which is awesome and makes things a bit easier. He can let go and move on to the next thing. They have definition for EVOC that they will be tested on tomorrow so he has been able to just focus on that, the penal codes and vehicles codes. He sounds tired but he also sounds like he found his grove, getting things down. I love getting to hear his joke with his roommates and laugh a little. 

He will be coming home for the weekend next week which I cannot wait for! It lets me take a deep breath when I know I will see him soon. I have something to work towards and look forward too.  And we did decide to change the wedding date back a week to November 29th, the Friday after Thanksgiving. We then don't have to stress about him coming home then going back and then coming home again for thanksgiving. I know it will throw off a few people but that's okay. What's important is that he will have less stress about it and we actually will get to enjoying being married for at least a day! So I am just waiting for the confirmation with the venue to make sure the time is good so I can send out the invites and get this ball rolling once again. So look for that! Until next time :)

2 down... On to week 3!

So this has been such a great weekend. I did end up taking the train up to Sacramento and got to spend the whole weekend helping John get things ready for week 3! What a blessing! We got to have such a nice, relaxing dinner together Friday night. Saturday we were up and working. After I made waffles for breakfast, we finished homework and t-shirt by noon. Then shopping for things he needed for the next week by 2. Then we studied like crazy for his 2 LD tests and spelling for next week while enjoying coffee at Starbucks. Btw it was raining like crazy, even got some thunder on Saturday. But anything to help my love follow his dream! Once he felt good about all the information we called it a night and just got to enjoy spending time together. We watched a movie (thanks to Netflix that my aunt has), enjoyed in n out, FaceTime with Johns family, then another movie. It has really been a huge blessing to be at my aunt and uncles house instead of hotel! So grateful for family! This morning we decided McDs breakfast would be good. Then it was laundry, packing everything up (while calling out penal codes and spelling words of course), buzzing his head and once he is done with his shower we will have about 3 hours left to spend this weekend. Sad but so glad I got to come up and spend time with him, helping him study and get things ready for the next week. Even though we both have a bit anxiety about the next week, he is in much better spirits to keep on going! But since he is here I thought it would be nice for him to get to say something here too! So here he is...

Having jenn here with me has has helped me to unwind and helped me to relax. Last weekend I had to take care of so many chores and tasks it made my head spin! This weekend Jenn was here to help me get everything squared away and ready for the next week, god has blessed me so much to have such a supportive woman in my life! There is no way I could do this without her! I may be the one physically bearing the workload of the academy, but Jenn is there by my side supporting me spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Without her I would not have the strength to continue to push for success. She is my why and the reason I continue on this journey. Everyday when I wake up I remember to remain humble, thanking God for his many blessings in my life. The academy may be difficult, but it is a privilege and an honor to even wear cadet Blues. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, you keep me uplifted and motivated! 

Week 2 cont.- faith is getting stronger!

One thing that I have been doing is when I have a good verse or hear a good Christian song I am texting them to John. I know he is not getting much time to read them but at least it is something. And Tuesday night I got this in reply...

Babe i have to be up at 330 tomorrow so i cant call but i love you! Thank you so much for your texts, they give me strength. I am  reaching new levels in my faith because of the challenges i face, your texts are so precious to me . Thank you I LOVE YOU!

Best words ever!!!

Anyway, last night they had the night off so him and a few guys went to dinner just to get off campus. When we got to talk he sounded so much better! He was John again! He told me he had passed his 2 test he had taken so far and was about to study for the next. He had been "gigged" twice meaning he did something wrong. When you are gigged 3 times you get your Wednesday off campus privileges taken away. But he is not too worried about it. He knows that everyone is going through it so he is hanging in there. He was actually laughing about it with his roommates. So I know he is in a much better spot than Monday. He was even joking about the things they were yelling at them and how he knows it's just to see how much they can break them down to build them up. Looks like John has been broken down enough and the building process is beginning!

But it looks like we can only take so much being a part. Today I will be working hard to get some orders so that I can take the train up there on Friday and stay till Sunday. At least on the train I can get some things done. I just miss him! And I know I can help him get something's done and lift his spirits more. So if anyone needs Mascara & makeup remover I only need 9 more people to order those so I can go up tomorrow! Or 6 microdermabrasion sets, or 3 miracle set, you get the picture. Lol it can really be anything but that made it easier for my brain! Just text me or Order online here :) it's greatly appreciated!

So I can't wait to see him! Hear all about his stories and help him get all his stuff together. I know we're stronger together! So off to work I go to so I can see the love of my life! 

Week 2 day 1- no fat table!

So today they measured the body fat percentage of the cadets. John thought for sure he was going to be on the fat table. When they are on the fat table they have to keep track of everything they eat. So basically it's just more work. But thank God he is not!!! Anyway, he had a really hard day today. He said it was his hardest so far. Even made him really have to think why he is doing this... Gosh that is so hard for me. I just want him home. I just want him happy. I hate having to hear him so stresses out and with so much anxiety. And I cant do anything about it! Well I can do one thing, pray, and I know that's a lot but i just want to do so much more!!! 

He was worried about the wedding today. He is worried that he won't get the weekend off. So I may be changing the date here. I am going to give the venue a call to see if there is anything we can do. who knows. I just want to do anything and everything I can do to make sure he does not have any added stress on him. So keep an ear open for that...

They had 2 more people quit today. Down from 143 to 140. But we can get through this. He said he's not leaving till he graduates or they kick him out. What's funny is we thought that PT would be the one thing that really kicked his butt and he said that is just fine. He had a test today. He's pretty sure he passed. But he has another one tomorrow he was going to study for before he went to bed. So I guess once again all I can say is PRAY. Pray for his peace! Pray that his spirit is lifted and he is encouraged everyday. Just pray!

Week 1 done! On to week 2!

If you want to see some photos of John follow CHP recruiting on FB and they have a photo album of his class CTC II-13. See if you can find him in the pictures. :)

So Friday was the end of week 1! They did lose someone. Someone quit they think because of an injury prior to coming that was hurting too much for PT. But we will see how many they really lose when everyone comes back tonight. It's harder to quit and leave than it is to just not go back. But anyway, John said it took like 2 hours to leave the academy grounds on Friday night. They were testing the cadets leaving, asking about certain codes. If they didn't know the answer they would send them to the back of the line. But by the time John got close they decided it was taking too long and just let them go. So he stayed the weekend at my aunt and uncles house, who were out of town so he got some quiet time althought I think he would have liked to have some social interaction with people. He spent most of Saturday shopping for all the stuff he needed for the next week and making his stenciled and shirts for PT. Sunday was pretty much the same too. We got to FaceTime!

It was good to see him. I felt bad though because he said he called his bunk mates and they were hangout with their girlfriends and all he got to do was FaceTime hangout with me. I really wish I could have been there to help him get all the things he needed and help him make his shirts so he didn't struggle so much but I know all of this will make him stronger. But it was a lot of work he had to get done and didn't have anyone to work with him like most of the other cadets did. He is also someone who over analyzes and over thinks things so he messed up on like 4 shirts (letters weren't big enough, worth what he wasn't suppose to, ect.), and his homework assignment (last time I checked) he had to redo 4 times. (Wasn't straight, missed spelled words, etc.) So here goes to week 2!!! PRAY, PRAY PRAY!!! Pray he just focuses, listens and gets things done with ease!

As for me, I enjoyed my cousins wedding on Friday, which was so much fun! Loved it! Athough before i left for San Diego, my car freaked out after my Mary Kay deliveries. At least I have an awesome future father in law that has a tire shop and could get DeDe all up and going again! Got all my teachings things ready for next week on Saturday, while FaceTiming John all day and then on Sunday I got to see a vision I had when I first starting learning ASL come to life with our first Deaf Awareness Day. Here's to another great week of teaching and a thriving Mary Kay business week!

Day 4... My breakdown

So it's official, I had my breakdown. So I thought that keeping busy was a good thing. Monday when I got home from Sacramento I went straight to my Mary Kay meeting, back to work! All day Tuesday I had training for my new ASL teaching job, 3 ASL tutoring session and a MK delivery. Gone from 9a till about 7p. Wednesday went to the gym, made a MK delivery, finished training and started teaching my 3 students, soroptimist meeting then home. Gone from 10a till 8:30p. Today I went to Zumba, came home did Mk work (booking, selling, coaching, ya know) networking lunch in Santa Fe springs, grand opening chamber event in Bellflower, then went to a LA MK meeting with a new consultant. Worked from 8:30-10:30p. And the breakdown happens when I was trying to leave the LA MK meeting. During the meeting I realized I had missed Johns call tonight but I knew it would be okay and I was doing what I needed to do. But at the meeting they forgot to tell the new people how to get our parking validated and how to leave the parking structure. So first I can't find my way out. I'm tired. I'm confused and I just want to get home. Finally find my way out but it won't let me because its not validated. While trying to figure out what in the world I needed to do John called me again. So I'm trying to not be frazzled because he doesn't need to hear that. But I can't help it, I just started crying. The guy I asked for help from first was rude and wasn't willing to even try to help me out. Then the next woman was rude and all of this is going on with John on speaker phone. I finally decided to just go back up to the meeting room but first I have to go back down to park and one guy who worked their and saw me leave stopped me and asked what I was doing, nicely. Now I lose John on the phone  and just start crying again. But this guy was amazing he ran through the parking structure so he could guide me out. Absolutely above and beyond what he needed to do but he could see I was going through something. When I finally got out all I was thinking was how much I wish I could just run home to John, cuddle and cry because I knew he could take care of everything. He's my rock! But right now he can't be, that's not an option. I must be the rock. Tonight, I truly missed him. If this is just week 1, I cannot even imagine how I am going to handle another 10 weeks before the wedding and then 15 weeks after that. God must think I'm one strong woman... I could really use some Ben & Jerry's right now.

Anyway, let talk about John. He had his first PT today. He didn't say much about it so he must have been able to handle it. He says he is going to get yelled at tomorrow because he messed up his shirt he had to make tonight. I didn't understand why he just didn't make a new one. You can tell he is feeling a bit overwhelmed. He is a perfectionist, an over analyzer. So he said he is getting tripped up on the little things. He said he wanted to go take a driving school thing one weekend, I told him it could have been a good idea before he left but for now just knew that they are going to teach him all he needs to know. But you can tell the retreads are scaring him a bit, not on purpose, but because most of them fell out during driving. But most make it through! I honestly and truly believe that God has prepared him for this a long time ago. This dream was put on his heart for a reason. I don't know how else to change his head that he is going to fail out of this. They had to pick their insurance today and he said he opted out to just stay on his parents till we get married. That way if he doesn't make to through... Seriously! If he keeps having this mindset he won't make it just because he think he wont. But I can only tell him so many times that he has this, he will make it and he just needs to focus one day at a time.  So I keep trying to and keep reminding him that I love him.

So we need prayer and lots of it right now. This is much harder than I thought it was going to be. But I know we can do it!

And if you can/want to send John letters of encouragement please do! Just no packages, nothing that stands out. We don't want attention drawn to him but encouraging letters would be great! Feel free to send them to

Cadet Kimble

CTC III-12

California Highway Patrol Academy

3500 Reed Ave.

West Sacramento, CA 95605

Day 3

It just makes me feel so happy to hear his ringtone go off on my phone! Tonight he sounded so much better. Not as tired. But he said he needed to get off the academy grounds over the weekend. Many of the other cadets leave every weekend, even the ones who are more southern. Great thing is my aunt is only 20 mins from him so he will have a great place to run away and just study. He says there are so many rules he feels like he is always breaking one and doesn't want to worry about it over the weekend. He has a retread (someone who has been in the academy before) as a roommate and he is really helping him out and giving him great advice. That makes me feel so much better that he has someone to help guide him a little bit more. They haven't started PT (physical training) yet. That makes him a bit nervous but I know he can handle it. It will be hard but he's got it. :) 

I got a second phone call tonight too! He was shining his boots so he thought we could talk. You could hear all the others in the background as they were all getting things ready for tomorrow. He said he doesn't have enough time in the day to learn everything, such as making his bed right. That is going to bite him in the butt next week of he doesn't get that together. He just has sooooo much to learn and remember but he will get the hang of it. Just may take some time, hopefully not too much. Oh! He told me how one guy tripped and completely face planted it. So EMS got him all fixed up and then asked him if he had a good sense of humor. The rest of the day he wore a big red construction hat! Lol at least they were having fun among all the craziness. 

This morning I sent him the verse from one of my devotionals

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. (Matthew 21:21 NIV)

This will be the verse of the next 6 months. All we have to have is the faith of a mustard seed to tell that mountain to move! I know I have way more faith than the size of a mustard seed so this can and will be done! 

Thanks for all the love and support! Keep the prayers coming! :) 

Day 2! He's alive!

He called! Only got to talk for about 3 minutes. He sounded exhausted. He said "I love you" like 5 times. I asked him how he was doing and he said "if I said good I would be lying". Awww! I wish there was something more I can do. He said that he thinks the officers are mad at them so tomorrow will not be good. :/  But the one thing he did say was to pray for him. So EVERYONE PRAY FOR HIM!!! This is the hardest thing he will ever have to do but it's for his dream! 

So while I keep praying, I am just trying to keep as busy as possible. Today was a full day for training for my ASL teaching job, then my 3 ASL tutoring sessions, a MK delivery and then home. Then even at home I wanted a distraction so I went next door to play kinect to get moving. Tomorrow will be Zumba on the morning, MK delivery, teaching 3 ASL students and soroptimist. I want to do as much as I can while he is gone so that when he comes back in March I get to spend as much time with him as I want! 

So please keep the prayer coming! One day at a time :)

One of my devotionals was perfect for today...

MARKED MOMENTS 

Before the foundation of the world, God laid out a plan for your life. He created you with a purpose, for a purpose, and He created you to be successful! He has marked moments already laid out that are going to come across your path. These moments are not ordinary. They are destiny-altering moments. They are designed to thrust you years ahead. 

Ecclesiastes tells us that time and chance come together for every person. That means you will have opportunities to meet the right people, opportunities to advance in your career, and opportunities to fulfill your dreams. God has already prearranged for you times of increase, promotion and blessing. 

Today, open your eyes of faith and see the good things God has in store for your future. Thank Him for what He’s doing and what He’s about to do. Thank Him for divine connections and marked moments because He is ready and willing to fulfill every dream and desire He’s placed within your heart! 

Prayer: 
Heavenly Father, thank You for marked moments and divine opportunities in my life. I trust that You are working behind the scenes no matter what the circumstances look like. I choose today to keep my heart and mind focused on Your goodness, knowing that You are a rewarder of those who diligently seek after You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 1... Let it begin!

I have to admit I am quite proud of myself for not having a complete meltdown this morning seeing John drive off to the CHP academy! I mean of course I was crying, I'm not going to see him for 75 days which will be our wedding day (hopefully). But it finally has started! Everything we have been praying for and waiting for has come together today. I was hoping to head from him tonight but doesn't look like it. I told him he didn't have to worry about calling me till later in the week that way he could focus. So here is to the first day finished! Hope all went well!

I have to say I am so grateful to the amazing families we both have! The support from everyone is just beyond amazing from our friends too. I love hearing that everyone is praying for him and I through these next 6 months. Guess the next time I post will be when I hear from him! Keep praying! It's just the beginning :)

Reality hits

So today reality really started to set in. This time next week my fiancé will be done with his first day of the academy! After searching 1/2 the day for his glasses, we started get him packed! We went through his checklist of all things needed. After that we cleaned out his closet. Not to pack just yet, but to get rid of things he doesn't want in our future home. That's when it hit me. This is it! This is his last week home, in his bed. When he leaves the academy in March we actually get to start our lives together. Crazy! So after we finished the closet, we talked about our future budget. See, he comes into our marriage with no debt. I on the other had have a good amount, $40,000. So we want to work together and get it done as quick as possible bit make sure we are saving for a good down payment for our first place too. And it feels like we have a great plan in place, thank you Dave Ramsey!

So hopefully tomorrow we will make it down to go get our marriage license.... Yes you saw that right... Our marriage license! Thank God I decided to look that up. I was thinking "I wonder if we both have to be there to get one". And sure enough. Thank God also that they are valid for 90 days bc our wedding is in 80 days so it's perfect! We will just have to make sure that pastor gets that in right after the wedding. Hopefully the next time I will be writing will be after orientation, the night I have to say goodbye. This is it! This is what we have been praying for and I know with all my heart he will be doing the rest of his life!