It seems that there is a lot of buzz around family of first responder peer support these days, and rightly so. This is one area of the “fire service” that has been neglected for far too long. Many fire departments have implemented peer support for the firefighters, and many are still in need of their own peer program. However, to establish a family peer team it goes even beyond offering the support to just the firefighter. In our opinion, to truly be effective the family dynamic needs to be addressed from both ends, home, and firehouse. This is hopefully where the family peer support can prove ..read more

Sounds contradictory, right? I realize for so many, just the word cancer comes with some negative and scary feelings. Everyone has at least one connection to cancer. It is hard to escape. But anyone impacted understands cancer can and usually will completely change how one looks and walks through life. My name is Sarah Hall, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32 years old---- on Valentine's Day----during my 3rd trimester of pregnancy. It was a total shock. I had no family history and considered myself a healthy person. Before being diagnosed, healthy eating and exercise were a huge par ..read more

Happy 2023 Fire Wives! My hope is that you all found some peace during the hectic holiday season. For most of us, holidays are not Hallmark movies, and they may bring unrealistic expectations, anxiety, grief and chaos. If you were in the latter category, you made it to 2023! I was always rooting for you. A new year may bring new resolutions or a fresh start. Here is a sample of some New Year’s resolutions I have been reading online: Stop comparing myself to others Stop doubting myself Stop saying “yes” to everything (oooh, this is a GOOD one!) Stop overthinking Forgive quicker Do things you l ..read more

Every year as March comes around; I begin to feel conflicted. March is one of the months I dread the most, yet it is also one of my most beloved months of each year. The emotions of March are a roller coaster, and frankly, I am exhausted by the time I get to April! Let me give you a glimpse into my crazy mindset; Let's start with the part of March that feeds my anxiety (don't we always start with the bad?); I am a teacher, I have been in education for 26 years, and the month of March can be a teacher's worst nightmare. During the height of student "spring fever," I am trapped in a room of 7th ..read more

As we all reel from the trials of 2020 and continue to prepare for what lies ahead, a common factor we all share is family. From children to partners, family is our foundation, and as we look to the future, let's take a moment to focus on improving the family dynamic. "Are You?" Recently, one of the most significant changes that many of us have experienced is the increased presence of our children at home. Between school and work-life, our face-to-face time with family members was only a few hours a day but now, faced with the challenge of full-time togetherness, many find themselves at a los ..read more

With Thanksgiving around the corner, and gratitude abounding, I could not think of anyone better to write our November blog than my friend, Jodie Fisher. Enjoy her amazing words. ~Kathy Edwards A few weeks ago, an amazing human, who I have immense respect for, asked if I could write about being thankful, having gratitude. Funny thing, I used to preach every Tuesday via social media, a little thing called “Grati-Tuesday” - a day once a week to remember and put out to the universe (either screaming in your driveway or saying it softly in a closet trying to get through the day) a few things to b ..read more

It was about 12:30am when I got the text from my husband who, to my knowledge, had been out tinkering around in his workshop: “I need help. I’m not me and I can’t explain it. My will to live is gone, I don’t know what to do. I’m struggling so hard to keep it together. I’m losing it. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I love you so much and you deserve so much better. I’m such a disappointment, you need someone way better than me. I can’t even believe God allowed me to have kids, I’m such an asshole. I’m such a bad father. I really offer them nothing. I’m so sorry you wasted your time with me. I’m just s ..read more

Fire Wife Life. These three small words have so much meaning! When we first spoke them out loud, we were a small tribe of women on a balcony with an abundant amount of champagne. Everyone has had these types of conversations, the ones that start with "we should do that" or "OMG, we could do that"! Most of the time, these moments pass, and that's where those conversations end. This one was different. We all know what it means to live every day in the club of Fire Wife Life. It means worrying during shifts and late-night calls. It means being a single parent, competing for attention with the fi ..read more