How fortunate we are to be able to plan our family holidays and vacations months ahead of time. I wait in great anticipation for the day our shift calendar arrives from Firefighters First Credit Union. First thing I check is to see if my spouse is working any major holidays. Next, I go right to work, planning our family vacations.
Being married to a firefighter, it is common knowledge for many of us that we just can’t follow the traditional means of celebrating the holidays—especially Thanksgiving. We just never know if we will be eating dinner at home or at the station until we check the calendar. If our firefighter is working, we learn to adjust and accept that this is just part of the job. As one fire wife stated on Instagram @housewivesoflafd, “This is OUR normal.”
Some years I am ecstatic that my firefighter is working the holidays. This means I’ll be relieved of scrubbing the house for weeks, pending the family coming over. This also means a break from the kitchen. No cooking or baking and no desperately running from decor store to decor store in an attempt to design a beautiful home—complimented with an elaborate table setting. This also relieves the family checking account from the great expense that goes along with hosting a family dinner.
Another upside most of us housewives/spouses would agree upon is the chance to see our fire heroes in their fancy uniforms cooking dinner for us. While they cook, it gives us the opportunity to meet other fire families and learn about each other lives. I encourage you to reach out and connect with one another after the day’s event because we are all in this fire life together. With that in mind, how many kids get to say they have been able to experience a holiday dinner at the fire station with some pretty amazing fire heroes? We are blessed to be able to create these wonderful family memories.
Let’s admit it, it’s nice to get that break every once in a while! Don’t get me wrong, I love to entertain at our home and to continue some sort of home holiday traditions, but I have learned to accept “OUR Normal.” On the other hand, if he is not working, I enjoy knowing he’ll be home, and I take pleasure in doing it all! I take that back, I do not do it all, except the pleasure of decor shopping. How fortunate we are to have hard working spouses that know how to clean and cook!
From our family to your fire family, a warm Thanksgiving greeting! May the holiday shenanigans begin. In this month of Thanksgiving, remember Gratitude is in the Attitude. Be thankful for the elastic waistbands! Oh, and no starting a fire in the kitchen to have your spouse home for Thanksgiving dinner!
Don’t forget to post your Thanksgiving pictures on Instagram @housewivesoflafd.
Keep the flame alive!
Bonnie Lopez
