A Police Officer's Wife

When I was in college I told my parents that I could never be married to a man who was either in the armed forces, a doctor, or a police officer.  Little did I know that I would be eating my own words.  Since we started dating, we didn't exactly get to have the "normal" dating life.  At the time, my husband was working 3rd shift and had Sundays and Mondays off so we would spend most of our time cooking dinner together and hanging out around his house or my apartment before he had to go into work.  Now my husband enjoys working a lot, a quality that I might add I love and adore so dearly, however he was working ridiculous amounts of overtime.  He would pull a double and work on his days off on a regular basis.  He soon became like a zombie to me.  When he switched departments he was given 2nd shift with Tuesdays and Wednesdays off.  His current employer only allows officers to work 4 hours of overtime per day unless its special duty and officers aren't allowed to work on their days off.  I was glad to find this out because he would be able to get into a regular routine.

Since we found out that I would be going to nursing school, my husband has really stepped up to the plate and has so willing worked overtime 3 out of the 5 days per week.  Most days it doesn't bother me because it's normally during the week and I'm already asleep since I work 1st shift.  However, sometimes when he works overtime on Friday or Saturday night, I get a little ticked off because that's my time to spend with him.  I feel really selfish for saying that, but he is my husband and I want to spend every moment with him that I can.  I would rather have him at home with me instead of being with the inmates who don't deserve anything especially my husbands time away from me.  I feel like this feeling is a weekly or bi-weekly struggle for me.  Most days I can except eating dinner, going to family functions, or doing all the chores by myself, but sometimes I hate "the job" for making my husband absent in those things.  I know that I am welcomed to eat dinner or do things with family and friends, but I feel like a burden because they have their own lives and don't need me tagging along.

I was browsing online for anything that could be helpful for me and I found this:

Dear Lord, please give my husband courage and wisdom~

Be his eyes and ears and guide his steps throughout this day~

And most of all send your angels to protect him and keep him

sympathetic and kind in your ever loving way~

I'm asking you for your blessing for my husband

as he proudly serves you and his fellow man~

And when he feels as though he's failed,

I ask you to help him understand~

May he be a brother to all police officers,

an example to his peers~

Keep him free from harassment's

and protect him from all fears~

May he know through my prayer

that I love him and he is my life~

And whatever he has chosen to do or be,

I'm proud to be his wife~~

1992 Patty Temple