The 4 month long interview....

I wish I was exaggerating! 

So back in July Brandon started the very long process of interviewing for a Patrol Officer spot with the IFPD.  It started with 169 candidates. Everyone that applied got to take the "test". The candidates that scored in the top 30 then went on to participate in a P.T test. Brandon rocked both his test AND his PT test, he was one of the top scores on his test and had THE TOP SCORE on his PT test! Whoever passed their PT test was invited to participate in an Oral Board interview. Brandon got a call and was told that he was number 4 on the list! As bummed as he was, we thought it was so cool that he was #4 out of an original 169! 

After that we waited and waited and waited! During our long wait we kept having neighbors and friends say that the chief had contacted them and had grilled them about Brandon but we had to just keep waiting!

In September, Brandon got a phone call to come into the police department and take a polygraph test. We were so excited because it meant that they were getting ready to hire! He took the test and after talking with the officer found that he was most likely in one of the first spots! After the poly... we got to wait some more! (lame I know!)

Finally last week on October 9 (our first anniversary) Brandon had an interview with the chief of police. He was fighting for a 1 of 2 spots against 6 other people. He was told that we would have an answer by the end of the week. Well Friday rolled around and there was no word. Brandon's hopes went to the dump! I am always the optimist and kept trying to cheer him up.
Well Monday the 15th came (our 2nd anniversary) and I got the most wonderful text in the middle of 2nd hour! 

Brandon has been waiting for this for so long.. July seems like it was forever away! We are more than excited about this opportunity and the doors it is going to open for us! Can't wait to share more :)

Hello Fall!

Don't worry, Brandon and I haven't gone into hibernation... yet! haha

I can't even begin to express how busy we have been. Yet, at the same time if feel like we've had much more time to relax than normal. Funny how life works like that when everything (most everything) seems to be going according to plan. I'm still waiting for some life altering event to come and uproot us!

Anyhow.. let's get down to what's been happening.

For me (Jessie) life is stressful (like thats new). But I've heard that most of your first year teaching is just  surviving! 7th grade isn't anything like I remember it. This age of students I think has to be by far one of the toughest. They aren't new to whole changing classes things, they think they are Pro's! They are also the top dogs of the school, and act accordingly! They are also experiencing a new rush of hormones.. and don't know how to control their feelings apparently! Hence the conversation that took place on Wednesday: (*names have been changed!)
Me: "Sit down and stop chatting we need to get started."
Class: ignoring me
Me:"5..4..3..2..1.. That's a loss of a point and there goes ALL of your points.. great job!"
Class: "SSSHHHHHHHHHH she's serious!"
Me: "Katie and Kellen you aren't exempt from this, sit down and look up here."
2 min later.....
Me: "Katie and Kellen you have 3 minutes between EACH class and a 30 min lunch to flirt.. stop doing it in my classroom."
Katie: "oops"
5 min later....:
"Katie this side of the room. Kellen this side of the room. I don't know what's in the air but you need to STOP FLIRTING in my class.. you'll still like each other in 40 min when class ends!"


Seriously I don't make this crap up! So my kids are going to hate me but we are splitting up the class into girls and boys sides! Maybe they will get the picture!

I will fill you in on more later.. for now it's time to get some DINNER! yum!