So I'm pretty sure a lot (if not all) WFF Wives know that making plans during fire season is a gamble. Just because they have days off, doesn't mean they'll have the "day off".
Before children, I can recall many plans or dinners that got ruined by fire assignments. I learned through the years, that you make meals when hubby leaves the station en route to home. I've also learned to cook easy meals that take about an hour to prepare and cook. I save the special meals for R&R day offs. And you make plans that don't cost a lot of money, therefore, if you have to cancel you're not out a lot. But nonetheless, it is frustrating. It's just one of those things as WFF families that we have to learn to deal with. Of course, now that we have kids, I don't say anything about "where or what we're going to do" until that morning.
About a year and a half ago, we were on our way to an amusement park and hubby got "the phone call". You know what I'm talking about when the caller ID says their boss's name or dispatch. Anyways, we were about 20 minutes away from the park, when hubby's cell phone rang. So he looked at the caller ID and said "Oh no, it's dispatch." Ugh, so we pulled over and while hubby was on the phone, I could hear what was happening, so I told our son, that we weren't going to be able to go to the park, because Daddy has to leave for a fire. Well being a toddler, he understood something totally different. He started crying and getting upset because the "park is on fire". So we drove Daddy to his station, where he went in and changed his clothes. So sad, we were looking so forward to our family day, but we understand that Daddy has a job that sometimes interferes with plans. Since my husband is a supervisor, he let our son crawl in his truck and talk on the PA. Our son said (in his little 3 yr old voice) "_______ is responding, woo woo woo"so that made up for the interrupted plans. However, when I drove away, I remember being so sad. Such a wonderful day we had that morning and how wonderful our day was going to be. I know that when I married a WFF there were certain sacrifices that'd have to happen, during fire season. Making plans (or meals) is one of them.
I joke with my friends (who aren't WFFW) and say 6 months a year the government can have my husband, the other 6 months he belongs to us.
What ways have you learned to handle cancelled plans or meals??
1 comment:
It has limited our friendships when we had plans with others.
It is just good to do what your doing. Winter vacations n home cooked meals for that "together" time. :). Sounds like you are doing a good job! Develop friendships with other women and have girls time as often as you can when he is gone to enjoy life as an individual as well. And play groups for children n moms time as well :)
Hope some of these notes get posted:). Haven't seen any new ones lately
Still waiting, For hubby:))
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