Police Appreciation Week (And "The Modern Knight" poem)

This week we celebrate Police Appreciation week, and I just have to say how incredibly proud I am to be married to an officer.  Daniel and I got married young (compared to the norm these days), found out we were pregnant with Leeland after only being married 8 months.  I had just graduated college, Daniel was still going to school and working two jobs.  He graduated from college, got into the police academy, studied hard (including through sleepless nights after Hayden was born), and graduated.  The police academy (or even college) isn't easy for a single person, in fact there were several that didn't make it all the way through, and add to the stress of it, the pressure of providing for your family, a wife, a son, and a second son on the way....  I could not be more proud of Daniel!

And now we're over a year out from his police academy graduation, and I watch him put on the uniform every workday, not knowing what he might encounter that night.  That's all part of the job-- in some ways I'm sure it's a big part of the appeal of having the job, not the same old thing everyday.  But in a lot of the ways it's part of the fear too, always being on your toes because you just never know who or what you might encounter.

Worse than those fears is that, it's a completely thank-less job.  Even our own family and friends whine and complain about cops and the tickets that they've gotten.... No one ever says, thank you officer.  Thank you for the speeding ticket, or thank you for the wake up call that I shouldn't be driving that fast, especially with my kids in the car....

These men and women bravely put on the uniform each day to protect and to serve, they don't create the laws, they only enforce them.  They are REAL men and REAL women, who have hearts and families, they deserve much more appreciation than just a week out of the year!

In honor of Police Appreciation week, I put together a little something special for the guys (and gal) on Daniel's squad.  It's not the first time I've made them baked goods, and it won't be the last, but it's a little thank you for all that they do, for protecting me and my boys, and for having my husband's back in the field.

Each bag has a few peanut butter M&M cookies, a pen and a notepad because you can never have too many of them.  It isn't much, but it's a little way to show to them that I care.

And now for a really awesome poem that I found.....

"The Modern Knight"

By: Brian Bartelt

 The dragon, dark as midnight black,
Exhales a font of fire.
Who of us would e’er stand up
To face the Dragon’s Ire?

 When danger came in days of yore,
They’d order men to fight
But he that fights the beast of crime
Must be a modern knight.

Such knights, just as the ones of old,
Do don their sword and shields.
They fight their battle every day
And never will they yield.

They leave their families every day
 to answer duty’s call.
Knowing this may be the day
They’re called to give their all.

 Now Dragon strikes and strikes again
With anger, hurt, hurt and greed!
Whilst noble knight does parry each
and rescues those in need.

Not word, nor deed, nor blood, nor death
Will frighten him away
He takes them on and fights them off
To guard us every day.

 He takes abuse and scorn each day
From citizens that he loves.
They do not know the hurt they bring,
insulting what he does

 Then our knight with face so calm
Signs out at end of day
While another knight arrives in time
To step into the fray.

Now homeward bound our knight he goes
His war for now is done.
He opens door to the loving arms
Of his wife and his sons.

God go with ye, yon mighty knight
Where e’er the battle rage!
He’s promised to be with us all
“E’en unto the end of the age.”