Being a LEOW

I take great pride in being a LEOW (law enforcement officer's wife). My kids do the same about being a LEO kid. It's all great when someone is nice and says thanks for your service, or good job, or when we all sit in dispatch and share a Sunday lunch as a family. We laugh and joke and are happy. But there are times when it's hard, very hard. Last night was one of those times. There were two separate calls, one shooting and one murder. In our small county, there aren't many murders, thankfully. So when your LEO texts to say he will not be home for dinner because he's on a murder scene, it can really rock your world. Maddie knew this last night and was obviously shaken by it. So she devised a plan... to rid the world of crime. See her Daddy was late and wasn't there to tuck her in at bedtime. She missed him and was worried about what he was doing. Her plan was to send all bad people to Mars, where they could either die out or kill each other, since bad people are stupid, you know. Then the world would be a safe and happy place. If only it were that simple. But I know it is not that way, so to stand in the gap for us are brave men and women who strap on a gun and vest, pin on their badge, and make their way into a cruel and ugly world to protect us, to serve, to be the thin blue line. I honor their commitment and dedication to this calling. I stand behind my husband to be his support, his listener when he needs to debrief, his safe place to come home to. Last night, I waited up for him. I said a prayer for his safety, I swept and mopped the floors, I cleaned sticky hand prints from our windows and door, I caught up on all the laundry. It was all I could do, keep busy and wait. Finally he pulled in the drive and got out of the uniform. The sound of velcro and the vest coming home is a comfort. When the radio is turned off, I know that he's done all he could that day. Strong arms hold me tight until I fall asleep. Tomorrow it will start all over again.....

~Tara

SWAT Camp 2014