My husband, the Police Officer

Today is Dan's last day of the Police Academy. I never thought I'd be able to say that phrase! His journey to this point has been a long and uncertain one, but I can honestly say he has been such a rock through it all.

Let's rewind 5 years, shall we? When we met I soon found out that Dan's goal was to become a police officer. A year-and-a-half later he was on his way! He had been accepted and started summer 2007. In the middle of his training one day, his back freaked out. Something popped when he was doing a sit-up and was incredibly painful. He found out it was a herniated/bulging/slipped (take your pick, he's heard all three) disc. So they put him on light duty which meant he could continue the academic studies but nothing physical.

Then it was decided that he would not be able to finish the academy due to his injury so he worked at the front desk and stood next to his class as they graduated but he couldn't. They moved him to an interim Crime Analyst position which lasted two years. At the end of 2010, it was either try again or find something else. So he gave it a shot and we are at the end! Or should I say beginning?

Through this whole process and injury and uncertainty I can honestly say that Dan has NEVER complained. He never asked why God allowed this to happen to him (though I have plenty). He never whined about his back hurting or felt sorry for himself when we drove past someone who graduated from his first class. He never wavered in his faith, but was confident that God had a divine plan for his life.

During the past seven months of the academy when he came home bruised, exhausted and mentally drained from his 12+ hr days, there was never so much as a grumble under his breath. He simply came home and prepared for the following day by studying, snipping loose threads off his uniform, shining his boots and making his lunch (you should see how concentrated he is when he makes sure the jelly is perfeclty even on his sandwich).

I am honored to be the one standing with him and pinning his badge on at graduation on Monday (if I can see through the tears). I am immensely blessed to call him my husband and beyond proud for how he showed his strength through all this and relied on God.

As I type this out, I can't help but wonder if this test from God wasn't for Dan, but for me. See, I was the one questioning while Dan remained faithful. I had worries and doubts when he re-started in January which forced me to my knees and to trust in God. I had no choice. But this whole process has increased my faith and brought Dan and I so much closer. I remember the physical tightening in my chest whenever I would think "What happens if his back gets hurt again?" And I also remeber the freeing feeling when I recognized that God was in control no matter what.

I'll leave you with an exerpt from an old email from Dan. This was when I was freaking out about my future and after he was injured but before he became a Crime Analyst.

"The best place to be is when you have given control over to God and let the outcome ultimately be His decision. He has a plan for you and it does not help you or anybody else to be stressed about what you are going to do. He will let you know when He decides to. I am in the same situation and I have prayed that He will just do what he wants for me to do and not let me do otherwise. It is liberating to not have to worry about the outcome and have to handle everything on your own. If you feel that you can not let it go or that he is not working then maybe you need to have more faith that He is working regardless of whether or not you see any of His plans unfolding."