The Holidays with a Policeman

I have been married to Brian for almost 9 years of which we have been a law enforcement family for 8. I knew when I became engaged Brian that I was going to be married to a man in the military or a man in law enforcement. It was what he felt called to and I was proud of him and happy to support him in his career choice.

One of the many ways I support this career choice is working hard along with Brian to make holidays in our home special. We have found our own way of making shift work function around our holiday celebrations and his work schedule. Even though I find myself alone on a lot of Christmas or Thanksgiving nights with my babies in bed and myself watching a movie quietly, I learned to enjoy the way we spend our time. We have made holiday functions work for our family with a few changes and lot of flexibility.

The biggest change for me was being flexible on what time of day I celebrated holidays. For example I often celebrate our December 31st anniversary in the morning for breakfast as opposed to a dinner. We head to the lodge where we were married or to the bakery where our wedding cake was made. My extended family has been flexible too. They have hosted Thanksgiving brunches, Christmas lunches, and celebrated birthdays with candles in a pancakes for breakfast to include Brian. We adjust the time however we can to make the day work.

Sometimes we have had to change the day we celebrate. Brian has only had off a handful of the many anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases, Easters, Thanksgivings, and Halloweens we have shared together. We have celebrated our anniversary the day before by going to dinner at the restaurant Brian proposed. We have also had birthday celebrations days before or later to make sure we are all together. I have learned Christmas is not as much about being celebrated on the 25th but more about being together so some years I participate in a Christmas Even family event then we spend a quiet morning at home with Brian before work and opt out of the big brunch my parents host on Christmas morning. The date of holidays is flexible in my home.

Lastly, I have worked hard to make Brian feel loved and special on holidays he works with notes and special food. One year some other LE wives and I delivered a Thanksgiving meal to working officers. Any officer could swing by a location and get a hot meal on a break. The Brothers and I send Halintines to work with Brian on Halloween. I try and bake a gingerbread cookie and special meal on Christmas and send a Valentine's Day card on February 14th. Anything I can do note or food wise to make his working holiday special I do!

Holidays, even if you or a family member have to work, can still be made special. Making a few changes to what day or time you celebrate and trying to make the actual holiday at work special can be all it takes to have great memories. I am so thankful for my family being flexible to include us when they can and understand when we can't make family gatherings due to work. I am also blessed to be married to a hard working police officer who is out there rain or shine, holiday or not, keeping us all safe.