Moab

Last week Andy surprised me by telling me he had planned a trip to Moab to celebrate my birthday.  He had 2 days of canyoneering in the La Sals planned and a day or two of climbing tacked on too!  Super cool and totally a surprise; he's better at surprises than I am.  Here's the story and a few pictures to go with it:

After looking at the weather, our plans changed.  It was supposed to be cold and snowy up in the La Sals.  We decided that 2 days of very wet canyons in a snow storm would be a bad idea.  So we changed our plans.  One day of canyoneering near Moab where the weather would be warmer, though still unseasonably cool.

Thursday we headed out from Lake City and, after making a stop at REI to spend our dividends, we set up camp on Wall Street in Moab.  Friday we spent all day canyoneerig.  We explored Pritchett Canyon and Negro Bill Canyon.  Both were very cool trips....we marked them on the map so we can go back another time.

Saturday we woke up finding ourselves to be a little sore.  We went into town to stroll through the park where they were having an antique car show (very cool) and we visited a few shops too.  We went back to Wall Street to hammer out a few climbs.  We ended up hanging around watching the world champion slack liner....he was really good!

Sunday we packed up camp and headed home.  It was so nice to get away for a few days after all those months of school.  Now back to the grind.  Andy is back to work today and will be starting up training with the SO soon, and I'll be back to work next week!

Done . and . Done

Huge sigh of relief.  It's over and done....and we're home!

Andy finished school strong.  He scored an 86% on the academy final exam giving him an overall graduating score of 95.6%!  He also scored a 91% on the Colorado POST.  He did amazing!

Here are some pics from the past two evenings; graduation in Delta & graduation party in Lake City:

Pinning Andys Badge

Deputy Dozier

Sheriff & Two Deputies

Me & My Deputy!

Trevor, Andy, Bob, Ron, Justin

And another one....

So proud and happy.  It's nice to be home.  Now on to the next thing....whatever that is!

T Minus 2 Days

Graduation in 2 days!  Woohoo!

Even the weather seems to be celebrating.  Sunny and 68 today, 74 tomorrow.  Too bad it's looking like rain/snow this weekend.

I've been busy packing and planning.  I dropped off Andys new uniforms at the dry cleaners yesterday....first time I've ever had anything dry cleaned.  Tried to make reservations at a restaurant for Friday night....but the place we're going doesn't take reservations.

Andy got out of school early today!  He was back at about 1pm.  Tomorrow he'll get out early also, after he takes his final exam.  Then Friday he doesn't have to go in until around noon!  He will take the Colorado POST and then heads over to practice for graduation!

Graduation is at 5pm....during which I most likely get to pin Andys new badge on him....followed by a short reception and cake.  Andy has 25 guest attending!  Amazing.  After all of that we're going to go out with the family to dinner.

A weekend full of family and celebration!

2 Weeks to Go

Andy & I were home this weekend.  It was great.  Andy had training to attend for the Sheriffs Office.  He had fun.  It was nice for him to get to see some friends and family.  Pretty sure it fell at just the right time; a nice break before the final 2 weeks of school.  2 weeks full of tests....thankfully they finished with spelling last week, so he can focus on other things.

Andy had a big CSI test today.  Arrest Control tests on Friday.  Then another test Monday and the POST test next Friday.  I'm pretty sure there's another test or 2 in there somewhere.  Almost there.  Almost done.  12 days until we go home.  Please keep praying these last few weeks...in many ways they are the hardest.  I'll keep you posted on how things go.

Good Friday

"Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, and man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  By oppression and judgement he was taken away.  And who can speak of his decendants?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.  He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich is his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.  After the suffering of his soul he will see the light of life and be satisfied, by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.  Therefore, I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.  For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

~Isaiah 53

It's April....

And you know what that means?! We get to go home this month!

....it also means that my birthday is in one week. 28....not sure I'm ready for 28 yet. Can I be 25 again?

I'm still keeping busy. Planning things around graduation, helping plan a party back in Lake City, P90X-ing, a little bit of packing, avoiding the wind, etc.

Ugh! Montrose in the spring. WINDY! I was slightly shocked upon waking up this morning and finding that we hadn't ended up in Kansas....or further. It's been blowing in gusts up to 50mph since sometime Tuesday. One of the doors down the hall was blown open during the night or this morning....I was wondering why it was so drafty! Brrrrr!

P90X is still busting my butt. Definitely sore. Still enjoying it but looking forward to next week when my schedule gets switched up on me. Different is good. I like the variety. So far, so good. 71 days to go!

Well, my final count for Andys graduation is 22. 22 people! That's a lot! Should be fun....except everyone is trying to surprise Andy, which means I have to keep secrets. I'm really terrible at keeping secrets from Andy. 2 more weeks and I can spill the beans....if I make it 'til then.

Graduation party plans are in the works. Stay tuned for details.