Dear new police wife, I promise it’s not all bad

Hey there,  new police wife:

Are you rather new to this lifestyle? Or maybe you’re experiencing a different season and you aren’t sure how to navigate those waters?

Well, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk, shall we (or in your case, just read)…

It all started when he followed his dream and she stood by him (that would be you).

I know all too well, how damn scary this lifestyle can feel. You turn on the news- you hear about cops. Your friends and family don’t exactly understand what you’re going through. The list goes on and on and I am sure I don’t need to list them out for you. That’s not the point of this post. Instead, the point is to let you know about the real truth.

(And why I am committed to helping you find the positives in this life. It is even why I wrote this journal for police wives that is now available on Amazon.)

The real truth about police wife life is that it is not all bad and this is why:

We get to be in love with/marry someone that is so selfless that he/she gives and helps without ever expecting a ‘thank you’ in return.

I mean truly, how amazing is that? There are not many people in the world that you can look at and admire because they never ask for anything in return from people they don’t even know.

You get time off together during the week when it is less busy.

We get every weekend off together, right? WRONG. Instead, our officers may work in the evenings and on the weekends so it can be hard to even get regular errands done. The advantage to them working when many others are off is that you can shop and be together during the week when it is less busy (as long as you are off during that time too, that is).

We often run quick errands in the morning (or he will) and he usually gets it done faster because fewer people out means shorter lines and less traffic. WIN!

You gain a ton of situational awareness.

Some things your officer learns on the job will rub off at home or on you. Usually, that means he/she will teach you to be more situationally aware and take certain safety measures at home and when you are alone. Memorizing license plates, knowing all exit doors- either of those ring a bell?

You learn to never take time for granted as a police wife.

Sometimes time doesn’t exactly feel on our side. We have to certainly be intentional with how we use our time around shift work and busy rotating schedules. So as police wives, we learn to take what little time we have and make the most of it. You also know just how quickly time can be taken away from you so you never take it for granted.

You gain an entire blue community and a strong bond from your law enforcement family.

You may not be super close to fellow police wives yet (or ever) and that’s 100% okay. But I can almost guarantee you, that if you or someone in your family is sick, hurt, or in a bind, your blue family WILL step up when you least expect it.

You gain independence and flexibility.

We kinda have to, right? But I see these qualities as huge blessings. I feel like I have always been an independent person but man, I can now watch a YouTube video on how to fix a toilet & successfully fix that said toilet, in no time and I am proud of it! And I fully believe my YouTube watching fix-it days started when my husband was on night shift. Haha!

We also learn to juggle so much and pivot our plans at the drop of a hat making us pretty darn flexible.

Sometimes we question this lifestyle and all that comes with it. But if you are with someone that you love then you absolutely will make it through and you will find ways to make it through any struggles you may have. Just remember all the reasons why being a police wife is amazing (& not bad)!  If I can do it, so can you!