The Schlaiss Family

I know, I know what a cheesy title this may be but its 100% true...Andrew and I are currently reading a book titled "I Love a Firefighter." It was a wedding gift from his Captain. Along with the book came a very sweet, heartfelt note from his wife. Needless to say I was very touched by the advice she offered us and their sincere concern for Andrew outside of the workplace. Public Safety workers (Firefighters and Police Officers) are known to have one of the highest divorce rates. In fact, a lot of Andrew's coworkers are divorced and definitely have some negative opinions about marriage. Many tried to talk him out of it and some even offered him some pretty sweet vacation getaways if he didn't take the plunge.

Andrew and I have been married for six months now and I have definitely learned a lot about the fire service. I always knew a lot because my brother is a fire fighter as well, but I never realized the small effects it can play on a marriage. Reading this book with Andrew allows us to discuss some of the tough subjects and find ways to turn them into positives, so we don't turn into another statistic. For example, the long hours he is gone. They are normally only 24 hrs, but sometimes it can be as long as 72 hrs. Those definitely get to me! I get lonely at times, but I'm learning to try and look at the bright side: I get my own "me" time when he is working, I get the whole bed to myself, I don't have to worry about cooking a nice meal, and the fact that those long hours apart mean long hours together...sometimes.

I'm still trying to learn that just because I slept the night before doesn't mean he slept at work. When he gets home I'm ready to be with him and spend every second with him when sometimes all he needs is some peace and quiet or a nice nap. Oops...still working on perfecting that one. :)

If I saw this book in a store I probably would've laughed at anyone purchasing it just because it sounds so ridiculous, but it has been such a blessing to us. Some of it makes me laugh at how heroic and glamorous people view fire service, but I truly think it is important to have a slight glimpse into what Andrew deals with at work and to understand that at times hows it spills over into family life. While I will never witness or deal with some of the emotional things he sees on call, I now have a deeper understanding of why he does things the way he does and how I can support and help him as his wife in certain situations.

All of this to say that I love my studly firefighter. While at times it is rough being home extended periods of time without him, I can honestly say I wouldn't have it any other way. I am proud of my husband and the profession he has chosen. Reading this book with him has only deepened my respect for Andrew. I know that with God as the foundation of our marriage that we can beat the odds set against us. Oh and did I mention that he looks great in uniform?! :)