A little history:
The day I started with DPS in November 2002 I met Mike Hairgrove. We instantly bonded and formed a friendship that can't be explained. I have loved him like a brother from just about the second I shook his hand. Mike was from Tucson and had just graduated from U of A...which he loves to the death. He played football for his favorite University and had also met the love if his life, Julie, while he was there.
We were supposed to start the academy in January of 2003...Class 376. Phoenix PD didn't fill all of their seats in Class 375 and DPS was back and forth on budget cuts and hiring freezes. Mike & I were tossed into Class 375 with about one weeks notice. We were the only two DPS sent through with Class 375...normally DPS academy classes have about 20 recruits.
We started our first day carpooling. We knew carpooling was required, and we wanted to show up together anyway. We were both apprehensive...and if we showed up together, at least we'd have each other. We rode together every day for 16 weeks, except one. Mike's mom was fighting cancer and at the time, she was losing. He had to run to Tucson to see her and met us there the next morning. (Mike's mom got a bone marrow transplant from a stranger that saved her life.)
In week two, Matt Schneider joined our carpool. It was just the three of us, and like the bond I formed with Mike, Matt and I also became family. We spent a lot of time together- just in the to and from the academy alone...let alone all the other crap we did together over that four months.
We stenciled out PC shirts together, polished boots, studied together nearly every night...When Mike & Matt got sick of studying, they played some dumb police chase the bad guys game on my PlayStation. Almost EVERY night of the week...Super Troopers was playing in the background as we studied, laughed, told stories, etc. I'm not sure if I love that movie, or hate it.
After we graduated from the academy, Matt went to Glendale, I went to the Beeline and Mike went to Tucson. Mike and I still had an eight week post academy to attend in Phoenix, but had four weeks on our squads until Class 376 graduated. We spent that eight weeks together and then parted ways again- Mike went back to Tucson and I went back to my Beeline.
The three of us kept in touch, but it's impossible to do so as much as we'd like...they are still two of my closest friends & I know no matter what- they'd be there.
Current time:
Luckily for Matt and me, Mike is the oldest. (Matt was the "baby" in our academy class...he was the one that didn't turn 21 until March 7th...we graduated March 28th.) Mike's 30th birthday is February 15th, but his big celebration was last night.
His wife Julie rented a "party bus" and put together a "pub crawl" throughout Tucson. It definitely wasn't my "scene", but anything for family, right?
We headed down to Tucson a little early to spend a few hours with Kurt, Anna & the boys. OMG we had so much fun with them!! Marshall is getting SO big and talking SO much!! We played golf in the backyard for most of our time together...and Jess is walking already at almost 9 months old!! I love spending time in their home; it always has the best feeling there.
We met up with the "party bus" crowd for dinner at a pizza place near the U of A campus and headed out on the bus from there. We had a good time...a lot of laughs were shared...a lot of bonds strengthened. It was an interesting night to say the least.
Because of my line of work, and the fact the I don't get along with typical, whiny, backstabbing, over-emotional, drama hungry women...I usually get along better with the male 1/2 of the relationship. Unfortunately, not all wives get along with me. (even though I am NOT a threat.) I guess I was the lucky one when both Mike and Matt married two of the coolest women I have ever met!! Julie and Jeanette are amazing...
Future Info:
Mike and Julie have two girls; Madison and Hailey. Matt and Jeanette just had their first daughter, Madison. Since Mike and I are destined to have girls...can you guess what our first daughter's name needs to be in order to keep the dream alive? LOL...I can't wait!!
**the picture below is of "Jaye". If you notice, Jaye is ON the bus. Our group was made up of a diverse group of Mike's friends...cops he went to the academy with, cops he works with, family members, those family member's friends, football buddies, etc. Since everyone didn't know each other...it took a while for us to put together that this guy did NOT belong. He hopped on board at one of our stops...and I guess he wanted to help celebrate Mike's birthday.
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