He's home...finally

Well, not mine.  We are about to start the back half of our 48.  He is being sent to a "fun" house.  On a quieter engine, in an awesome neighborhood.  He  might spend his day passing out cookies to the k9 constituency of his area.  It will be a good day for him.

I am missing him at the moment.  The kids are still sleeping since we got in so late.  But its all good.  I will have this moment tomorrow.  How amazing will that be!

So those of you (like me) who made the parade, picnic, fireworks circuit  solo this year, throw your arms around him and say welcome home.  He is home.  And that alone is a reason to rejoice.

Like a Kid on Christmas Morning

I am as bad as the kids on Christmas morning.  I seem to have misplaced my patience.


My FF just came off of a 48 - our last one for a while.  I have been with the muppets for 48 hours.  The first day of the 48, my amazing firewife neighbor (whose FF is on the same shift as mine) needed my help.  Her babysitter was just not doing well with her three stooges and she did not need any more phone calls at work, given her job (and it was a crazy night at work for her).  So, I kinda stepped in and took over.  No big deal, but not the night I had planned.  Seven kids can be a bit draining, especially when there is some unnecessary drama going on.


Last night, my amazing firewife comrade in arms, made burgers and we fed the masses, while her hubby was on a boys' night.  I think it is good that we have each other, but still not the night that she had planned.


This morning, eight o'clock mass, with 4 muppets, alone for the fourth week in a row - and my hubby calls right in the middle of prayer - twice.  I think I have THE LOUDEST vibrating phone in the WORLD, btw. I quickly texted 'mass' to him.  He forgot it was Sunday.  UGH!


And now, we have been home for a few hours, I am still on duty.  Keeping the muppets quiet and outside. 


And all I want to do is wake him up.


So sad.  Ah well.  Back to my list of school supplies - 60 pencils, 14 glue sticks...another post for another day.


Have a great week.  Love up your kids and hug your firefighters.

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

The kids had an idea - to make Daddy a welcome home sign after his 48 this weekend.  And D chimes is, "Yeah.  Let's help him enjoy his visit with us."  I thought it was a cute idea.  We made it happen, took pictures for Daddy's locker.

And then I thought about how profound a statement it was.


Daddy was just a visitor in our home.


Youch!

So we had the sign waiting on the porch for Daddy when he got home and he was all smiles with the muppets.  They were so happy to see him and thrilled with their message. And then I think it sunk in.  It wasn't me nagging and complaining.  It was our kids adjusting to life without Daddy around.  It is a testament to the resiliency of children as well as a profound statement of the his absence was having on the kids.

Sometimes you say it best, when you say nothing at all.  I think he left with a little of a heavy heart for his shift the next day.  He has 2 more 48s this month and hopefully we'll be done for a bit. 


Please feel free to share the glimpses of your world by linking your Wordless Wednesdays with mine.

You know you're a firewife when...

your love notes are written on gauze packages and taped to the front door with medical tape. And it makes the 48 suck that little bit less!

Makes your heart melt

We all know how crazy things get when the firefighter is working and you are home alone, making sure the ships stays righted. But, then you have to take a step back and look at who else is involved with this cruise.  The muppets.


Tomorrow Daddy comes home.  Our firefighter has been working 48s.  He is paying back trades from when D needed surgery and O was in the hospital and I had to work, but the kids did not have school.  So he is pulling a lot of 3 out of 4 shifts.  He is working 72 out of 96 hours.  I think we have one more.  It makes my life crazy...but also the kids' lives.


Tomorrow is also one of the most important days of the year.  13 years ago I married the love of my life, in a beautiful music filled ceremony.  9 years ago I brought another love of my life into this world.  I spent my anniversary going through the roughest of my 4 deliveries.  I will spare you the details, but I remember them vividly.  And it was all worth it.


Today, while I am folding laundry to pack, B came up to me.  "Mom, I am getting the best birthday present tomorrow." Me, "Oh yeah, how do you know?" B,  "Cause Daddy can only work 48 hours in a row by law."  I had to grab him and hug him, he made my heart melt.  The kids miss him when he is gone, too.  B - thank you for reminding me.  Happy Birthday, baby.  You were the best anniversary gift I could have ever asked for!