Stephen

In the spring of 1999 I was a Sheriff's dispatcher for the County of Orange. During this time there was a riot that broke out in the city of Westminster. The riot had lasted several days and into about the third day, they decided to send a dispatcher out to the location to dispatch from the command post. Being that I was a single mom, of two little girls (4 and 7), and it was my day off, I jumped at the chance to make some overtime.


That night there were a ton of people around, various fire and police departments, even in-n-out had a truck there. We had top officials, patrol deputies, and the S.W.A.T. team on scene. Then, there was me, just a little dispatcher sitting in the bus. During the evening a dark haired deputy with green eyes walked into the van and introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Simpson, 362." (I know, so romantic) He seemed nice but lingered awhile and I'm sure he gave me a look. Over the years he's tried to change it to me giving him the look, not true.

A year and a half later we were married. I was a single mom and I was just a mess, lol but he signed on anyway. He was this bachelor with two cats and he was able to do whatever he wanted when he wanted. He rode his bike in the morning, napped at noon and went to work at night, happy to start all over again the next day. When we moved in we brought our music, dancing, snacks, singing, laughing, and all the drama that three women can carry in their 12 suitcases...each. 

I'm certainly not going to tell you it was easy, or super fun blending our family into what it is today. That would be a lie and an entry for "the other" blog. However, we did it and we stuck to it and fought to the death for what we have. When I say that I literally mean to the death. Death to ourselves for the purpose of being the team we need to be, the team God called us to be. Today we joke that we are together because no one else could stand us. We are complete opposites in personality but of total like mind in our character.


In all seriousness, I am with him because nowhere in this vast world could I find a man, of such character, strength, compassion, and perseverance. He is dedicated to duty and honor, like no one I know. I have never personally met another person who has worked harder at becoming the man God created him to be. When I tell him these things he responds by saying that he is just a "regular fella". Reading this blog entry will be hard for him because he is generally a private person. Being that he is a Sergeant in the Sheriff's Department he keeps a pretty low public profile with his personal life. I don't mention him too often but today is my chance to really cut loose.

Steve's loves are, shooting, ammo re-loading, riding mountain and road bikes, reading, weight lifting, and Emma. He's always up for a hike, geocaching, a movie, a glass of red wine, coffee, or chocolate. He loves Mexican food, playing WOW and never turns down meeting new people.

Snow shoeing in the Sequoia National Forrest

Racing in Trabuco Canyon

 Eating a cheeseburger after the Traverse bike race

At Nascar with Anthony, Michelle's husband

Vacation...

With Doug McManus in North Carolina

At work: 

Over the last ten years he's been with me through the Sheriff's academy, three surgeries and a retirement. And he has supported my adventure of photography. He totally gets the photo equipment obsession and is ever patient at my need to always have my camera. It was his camera from his childhood that inspired me to go to school in the first place.

I took these of him one day

when he had just gotten home 

from work, before he ever got

into the house. He probably gets 

really happy when he drives up 

and sees me outside with my 

camera ;-)

oxox, I think he may be "punking" me out here...

yeah, pretty sure of it.

Laying on the floor for about an hour, 

pretending to be dead for one of my photos

I have a secret fantasy that when Steve retires he will

become my business partner and take some 

 pictures with me. OK, It's not so much of a secret

The thing about being married to a cop is that you have to know you will be alone a lot. Sure it's only 40 hours a week, but there are those days they don't come home because of a late call or because a terrible horrific thing happens and they can't leave in the middle of it.  Steve spent his 40th birthday in a house with a family who had all decided they no longer wanted to be alive. They had been in the house for over three weeks in the middle of a heat wave, and while he searched their home from one terrible room to the next, I was at home with our friends and family having a 40th birthday party for him.

Steve may see more in one day, that others will go their entire lives without ever seeing.

One day he is in a house searching for 

a suspect who wants to shoot him and

 the next day he is reassuring his 7 year 

old daughter that she'll be ok on the

roller coaster...

 He sees all the bad and loves all the good

He knows that Cinderella wont be

here forever, so he dances with her.

Always taking the time to be there

when he can. Working shift work

also lets him be there when other

Daddies have to be at work...

like on the first day of school

I do think the best thing about his job is that we never take each other for granted because we understand that life is short and temporary, and each day we have is a gift.

Sure, we came into his life and turned it upside down. He is surrounded by chicks and chick stuff like bras and crying.

Every time someone says "poor Steve" (because he is so outnumbered) I just want to yell, "are you kidding?" What man would not want to be loved by so many women? He is not only loved by all of us, but my sisters love him so much too, and my Moms do to! He loves and appreciates the female spirit and allows us to embrace and flourish in it. He is never crabby about it. He just laughs and slowly backs out of the room.

He appreciates us for who we are and has a specific relationship with each one of us. He really is my favorite boy ever.

 Me and my boy

 With Alix the "buddy"

 Amanda the "snuggle"

 Emma the "Baby"

 A man of many things

 He carries us, he supports us, he protects us and leans on us when he needs to.  He is a gentle and strong warrior who believes in truth and beats himself up when he falls short. Always pushing on and striving to be better, to be more. My partner, my love, my best friend, my hero, my husband.

Stevie D.