Status on Facebook

There is a status currently going around Facebook speaking about Law Enforcement officers, it says

Somewhere a cop is being yelled at for taking too long to get there; trying to save the life of a total stranger; holding their bladder because his Radio just went off; starving because they missed a meal; having to keep a stone face at an accident scene where there's 2 dead kids; and now its 4 am, and they're missing THEIR family while taking care of YOURS. Re-post if you are a cop, love a cop, or appreciate a cop. You all know who you are.... ~Godspeed~

I have re posted this comment one time before, or something very similar so I won't again, but decided to give my little take on it.

I have been a part of this life style for the last 8 years.  That's right I said life style.  Where as my job is generally, with a few exceptions, left at work at the end of the day; law enforcement is a way of life.  It is literally a 24 hour a day 7 day a week, 365 days of the year job.  Now my husband does not eat, sleep, and breath his badge...THANK GOODNESS.  There are times however, he will have to go back to work, or we will be out somewhere and he will see something and he has to act on it.  That is part of the oath, to protect and serve, even when you aren't technically on duty.

It is a highly over worked, under paid and extremely under appreciated life.  Many people don't realize while he is out protecting his town he is missing out on many things.  Thankfully he works for a small town, and crime is not as bad as it is in larger cities. 

When he looked into going to rookie school we were dating.  We sat and had a long heart to heart discussion about what this would mean to us, and to future children.  He reminded me that he would miss out on tons of things because of a work schedule.  My reply, the kids won't know any different, and I will adapt.  Many moms do it, so I can to.  We will learn it is more about quality time, not quantity.

So over the last 7 years (since Thing 1 got here) I have been the equivalent of a married single parent.  Now I am by no means complaining.  It is the life I willingly entered into.  Part of our lifestyle includes...nights of it just being me and the kids.  Weekends, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries all spent without my husband.  That is the life I chose.  We manage to adjust ourselves around the schedule fairly well.  If there is something going on, the kids and I go.  If it is a birthday we celebrate either before or after, depending on the schedule.  Holidays, well that is where it is just cut and dry.  If Hubs has to work, the kids and I go to family functions without him.  If it is Thanksgiving, I bring him food, if it's Christmas I bring his stuff home. 

It is what it is.  It is our life.  It is not for everyone by any means.  Just like being married to a solider is not for everyone, or a fireman, paramedic, truck driver, doctor, or nurse.  Not that any of these professions are equal to each other, they are all completely different, with the exception of family sacrifice.

If you happen to see an officer, or fireman, or paramedic, or a soldier, or well any of the others, thank them for the things they give up.  It really means a lot to them.