To Serve and To Protect

It's been his life long dream to be a police officer.  He started his training early by being on an elementary school patrol team and collecting matchbox cars and lego's that were police and swat vehicles. As a teenager he was police explorer with our local department and while in college, he served his internship at a police department. 

It's the career he's always wanted so it didn't come to any surprise when we attended his police academy graduation.

He's been working as an officer for the same department he interned with, but to retain his job he had to pass their 10 week academy.  They tested every two weeks; if they passed they were able to continue, if they didn't, they had to leave.  After the ten week course they were given a final exam, a 200 question test with two hours to complete.

I'm proud to say we have an officer in the family as well as how much I admire my son for following his dream and making it happen.

As far as the boys were concerned, they didn't need a graduation ceremony to be impressed. They know who their dad is; when they see a police car or a policeman on t.v. they say, "DaDa,"

During the graduation ceremony the boys kept themselves entertained by sharing my chapstick - don't get them wrong, they clapped at the appropriate time but were much more interested in taking turns applying  chapstick to one another. I promise I wasn't at all distracted by those two cuties - well ok,  just a little... er...alot but just for the record, I clapped at the appropriate time.

 The days following the graduation we spent our time playing in the hotel as well as in the basketball court. The boys couldn't get enough basketball. Every other minute they were asking to play ball.

                                     
                                       Getting some assistance from Grandpa.

                                                  We also took a train into the Wild West 

Where we witnessed

romance, a robbery

                                                                     and a shootout.

 Lucky thing we had a couple of little deputies and a real life police officer on board in the event things got out of control. It's not everyday you have an honorary sharp shooter in your mist who not only was the top of his class, but in the history of the academy.

                                                 To say the least, I felt very protected.