The Shawver Fam's Blog

The following letter was written by a lady in the Forsyth County community that was helped by the firefighters and Ariel's House for Christmas! People in the community really do care and see that these firefighters are making a difference in this world one day at a time.

"Forsyth Firefighters-

I know you guys weren't wanting

recognition for your acts are kindness.

But, I can't not say something.  I

think it's amazing and highly

respectable of all of you to go to

such great lengths to help me.

My children & nephews are going to

have the absolute best Christmas

they've ever had.  By your acts of

kindness, my children will be so

excited and extremely grateful to

"Santa" this year.  My story is not

an easy one and then, to think

and wonder how I was going to

afford to actually get them presents,

was deeply depressing.  Luckily I have friends

who have incredible connections to

wonderful people like you.

I wish I could thank you all personally

and maybe one day I can.  Until

then please know that you have made 4

kids have the best Christmas Ever and

one we'll never forget.  I truly believe

you guys are a Guardian Angel.  God

Bless you all.  I wish you all, the

Merriest of all Merry Christmas' EVER!

And may you or anyone you love never

have to suffer and experience the

living nightmare I have been

living in for 4 months now.

        Thank you. You are all heros

        and deserve the utmost respect.

                Happy Hoildays

                Wendy Patrick &

                Ayden Riley

I am the wife of a wonderful firefighter!!! I wouldn't have it any other way. Since becoming his wife I have learned a lot about this profession and all that it entails. I have also learned a lot about the communities response to our families and how they react to firefighters as their friends and how people try to adjust to their schedules and such. Often times people will ask my husband, "So how's the fire fightin' thing goin'?" as if it's his hobby or something. This totally irritates him as it does other firefighters when asked this question. If the person would just reword what they were asking then it'd be okay. No one asks doctors, "So how's that doctor thing going?". No one asks power company employees, "So how's the power thing going?". No one asks lawyers, "So how's that lawyer thing going?". No one normally refers to a persons career as a "thing". It makes firefighters feel that people just don't take it seriously. They feel that people just think that they are going to quit the career they've worked so hard to get just because the "thing" isn't going so well. Well news flash everyone....firefighting is dangerous and there are days that it's not so great but it is a CAREER choice!!!!! It's not a "thing" so please don't refer to it as that or ask how that "thing" is going. Instead you should simply ask how's work if you feel the need to ask. That is a very loaded question though so be careful of that one. You may not really want to know that he may have ran a call the day before where a little girl was run over by her father in their driveway and died, or a motor veichle accident where a teenager was killed and wrapped around a tree so badly that you can't tell who they are, or a house fire where everyone but the youngest baby died and the house is destroyed. If you just want to know if they are still in the saving lives business simply ask him, "Hey are you still a firefighter saving lives?". Trust me when I say that this is the best approach when asking a firefighter about their career.

Well as we all know being in the family of a fire fighter is different around the holidays and special occasions when our fire fighter has to be at the fire house. This year my husband will be working on Christmas. He had to work all the major holidays this year and will have to do so next year as well due to leap year. This was our first year being married as well so it's been quite an adjustment for me. We are planning on having all the families that would like to join us for Christmas dinner at the fire house. I also brought in a Christmas tree and decorated it for all the guys. What's Christmas without a Christmas tree? We used caution tape for the garland and put some fire ornaments on it and wrapped it in red and white lights. For the topper we used a kids fire helmet. It's so cute and is just right for a tree at the fire house. If anyone else has plans for Christmas at the fire house this year or years past please share with us your traditions.

What's your favorite thing to drink when it's cold outside?

Pretty much anything from Starbucks!!! Especially their Raspberry Chi Latte. If you've never tried it you really should!

Okay I really LOVE Christmas parties. I wish I had more to go to even! I know December just seems to fly by and there's just not enough time to go to them all. I really wish that everyone dressed up more for these special occasions though. Okay so our party is only at our house and is a casual kind of thing. But it's so fun to see everyone all dressed up in their Christmas outfits. I don't care if I'm the most over dressed person at my party I will be looking good in my Christmas dress! I love dressing up anyway so maybe I'm the only one that feels this way. It's fun!!! ~ Love to all!

The Bravest Online...Just A Taste Of My World...

http://www.thebravestonline.com/news....

We received this video from Youngstown Fire Department Engine 6 on the East Side. We thought this was just another standard "pump it up" video, but we were wrong. Turn up your speakers, turn down the lights, and go into Youngstown, Ohio Engine 6!

go to this link to see my favorite video....http://www.thebravestonline.com/news.html?view=1&id=1787

Being a wife of firefighter is an honor. Being a wife of a firefighter means sharing him with the community not just every third day but also on holidays and birthdays so that he can be there for others when needed to save lives. Being the wife of a firefighter means not knowing if and when your husband will or will not come home after his shift. Being a wife of firefighter means knowing that one day you may get the worst feared call of your life and that call could come at any second that he's gone at the fire house. Being the wife of a firefighter means taking care of the house, the pets, or the children when he's away at the fire house. Being the wife of a firefighter means you must be independent and be able to do things on your own, and then lean back to him once he's back home.  Being the wife of a firefighter means you may have many sleepless nights lying alone in your bed praying he's okay. Being the wife of a firefighter means getting know the "jargan" talk that they speak and knowing what it all means. Being the wife of a firefighter means that you have an extended family that you never imagined you'd ever have. We are all truly family with an instant bond beyond anyone's belief.  Being the wife of a firefighter is always an adventure of sorts. You just never know what tomorrow will bring or what stories you'll hear. Being the wife of a firefighter means being understanding when he doesn't want to talk about work at times because he's seen something that no other person would ever in their worst nightmare see at their normal job and it's just that bad. Being the wife of firefighter means being compassionate, patient, loving, caring, giving, generous, humble, independant, strong, out-going, passionate, tough, curtious, resectful, understanding, and most of all couragous. As they go into the burning buildings we are left there praying that they will make a safe return and wondering what we are to do in the event that they don't. As they race off to respond to a medical call we wonder if they will make it there safe and sound without getting into a wreck on the way. Being a fire fighters wife at times and be hard but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world for I am honored to be a firefighter's wife.