Reality Check

I have been the wife of a police officer for about five years now.  I am very proud of Jeremy and the job that he does.  Truthfully, on most days I don't think too much about it.  The job, the abnormal hours, and the fact that he carries a gun to work are just part of our lives.

Occasionally, something happens to remind me exactly what an important job Jeremy has and how dangerous it can be.

Monday night, I talked to Jeremy before bed as I usually do.  We talked a little longer than normal because we got into a conversation about Christmas and our plans for working around all of our family functions.  He called back shortly after we hung up to tell me an idea he had come up with for our busy Christmas Eve schedule.  We talked a few minutes, then I finally went to sleep.

About an hour later, around 12:30 a.m., the ringing of my phone pulled me out of sleep.  It was Jeremy again, calling to tell me that a deputy with his department had been shot.  He wanted me to know that it was not him, because he might not be home by the time I got up in the morning...he didn't want me to see it on the news and freak out.

My brain, numbed by sleep, jerked to attention immediately.  J gave me the brief details of what he knew, then said he and many, many (many) others were going to apprehend the offender.

Now honestly, I don't spend a great amount of time worrying about Jeremy at work.  I know what his job entails, but I also know that he is very good at what he does and that he does everything in his power to make sure that he comes home to us each and every night.  I also know, as does Jeremy, that our God is ultimately in control and if He has chosen for one of us to leave this earth... well, then, who am I to argue with the One who created us?  That's not to say I don't encourage him to take every possible precaution or that I don't tell him every single day to be careful, because I do.  But I don't spend hours sitting up at night, worrying what he might be doing, I don't call him every hour, and I don't listen to the news to see if anything bad is going on in his jurisdiction.  I never have, and I hope I never turn into that person.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, though, when my husband told me he was going to hunt down a man armed with at least one assault rifle who had already robbed a store, shot at the clerk, and by this time had shot two law enforcement officers... I think my alarm was quite warranted.

It is not a pleasant feeling to lay in bed, alone, trying desperately not to imagine the many possible scenarios your husband might be involved in at that very moment.  I was anxious, but also pretty helpless.  I did all I could do--prayed for God to protect Jeremy and his fellow officers, reminded myself that he is competent and careful and also very well-armed, and told my brain to shut it.  Amazingly enough, I did go back to sleep...deep enough that I didn't even hear my text message at 3:30 a.m. telling me that the suspect was in custody and everyone was fine.

When I woke at 6:15 the next morning, J was just crawling into bed.  He gave me a quick rundown of the night's events, which we were both still absorbing.  I hugged and kissed him, told him many times that I loved him and was glad he was home safely, and got ready for work.

And so, life goes on.  Jeremy and all his coworkers did their jobs on Tuesday, just as they always have...but likely with a little more caution, a little more thought.  Monday night was a reminder to everyone--the officers, their families, our community--just how quickly an evening can go from the same old boring routine to one that just might change your life.

Thankfully, the two officers that were shot are going to be alright, and the offender is in custody.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little more worried about Jeremy's job than I was at this time last week, but I am also full of pride for him and his fellow officers.  When everyone else runs away from the danger, they are facing it head-on and doing their best to protect the rest of us.

This week was a reminder for us not to take one single minute for granted.  I love you, Jeremy, and the girls and I are blessed to have you as a husband and father.  We are proud of all you do for our family and for our community!