The Firefighter's Wife

NFD hosted a "family night" for the recruits this week so that everyone could get to know each other's wives and kids. I was excited to meet everyone, especially since I've heard so much about them from Levi. The whole night was a lot of fun; I just wish we would have thought to bring our camera (we made do with Levi's poor-quality phone camera)! We ate pizza and then I had the chance to see the training center and burn tower that I've heard Levi talk so much about and I also got to see all kinds of trucks and ride them.

This is the burn tower where much of Levi's training has been conducted.

View from the top of the burn tower

These concrete tubes fill up the building below for tight-spaces training (I'm sure that's not the right term) 

Inside the ladder truck

This is called the "Snorkel" mostly because that's the brand of basket, but I like to think it's also because the truck is yellow like "yellow submarine"

This is one of the views from my ride in the Snorkle basket

Another view from the Snorkel

Again from the Snorkel

Rescue truck - this thing has all kinds of tools on it, including the Jaws of Life

I got to ride in an engine (in the captain's seat, no less) and turn on the siren and air horns!

I really wanted my picture with Levi by a fire truck, but we waited until it was too dark. I insisted anyway, and at least I got something! I'm sure I'll have opportunities for more fire truck pictures with him :)

I can't wait to take our nephews to the station when Levi gets on a shift! Graduation is soon - April 3rd!

We also heard from the chaplain and training captain about how hard it is to be a firefighter's wife/family. The schedule is unusual and communication can be difficult. They said that 78% of firefighter marriages end in divorce. That's quite a bit higher than average, even for Oklahoma! We also heard from a firefighter's wife who said that everything big (going in to labor, kids needing stiches, etc.) happened while her husband was at the station, leaving her to make most big decisions.

Hearing those things and seeing the families there made me very thankful that the Lord has prepared us for this through our long-distance dating and Levi's crazy EMSA schedule. I know that doesn't mean it will be easy, but I definitely feel like we are ahead of the game and know what to expect and how to deal with it.

In addition to the "bad news," the speakers shared that the people in that room (the other recruits and their families) would become our best friends over the next 25-30 years. Our kids will play ball together, wives will spend time together and support each other throughout the tough schedules with their husbands, etc. because we will understand each other. Levi made a good point that most can't relate to what we do. Most husbands and wives (or so it seems) get to spend every evening together. At the very least, they are both home to sleep at the same time. Despite the difficult circumstances, I think it's very cool to be a firefighter's wife.