Our first responders do amazing things for our community every day. They drop everything in order to save someones home, help someone out, or save someone's life while often times risking their own. We often take these people for granted knowing they will be there whenever we call, but I am fortunate enough to be reminded of how lucky I am every day when I see my boyfriends face.

My boyfriend grew up in our local firehouse and is a third generation volunteer firefighter. The members of the fire department and their families have become like a second family not only to him but now also to me. I always was amazed by the sacrifices the members of the fire department made in order to keep their community safe, but I never realized the sacrifices their families made as well. Don't get me wrong, I would never trade him or the fire department or any of the members and their families for the world and the sacrifices these brave men and women make are huge, but being a family member or significant other of someone in the fire department comes with its challenges.

There are the obvious ones like being worried every time they leave for a call and the less obvious ones like having to explain that you're sure you're full as someone tries to hand you another plate. You'll never fully get used to the sound of a pager going off in the middle of the night but getting to hear stories of little kids waving in excitement from their windows as they see firefighters walk by is priceless. Seeing the person you love getting into the car to go risk their lives is heart-wrenching, but knowing that what their doing is going to help so many people eases your mind enough to let you walk away from the window. There will always be moments of worry and maybe even sadness or anger, but the moments of joy, relief, and pride outweigh them.

Trust me, there are way more good times than bad. Being able to watch them come together for and put on community events and fundraisers is so heartwarming and being able to help with those events is priceless. Getting to go to banquets and seeing and hearing about the history of the department is amazing and getting to hear old stories about what your S/O was like before you met them is a blast. Knowing that you have another family to call and count on if you ever need anything is a gift all in its own.

Even though sometimes moments aren't always so happy and maybe you'll get a little upset when they have to leave in the middle of an event or date night, you will remember the good times more than the bad. You'll remember how lucky you are to have them and how much good they are doing every time they leave for a call.

And to my boyfriend, I know I might yell at you when you forget to text me that you went to a call or when you forget to turn the volume down on your pager in confined spaces. But I want you to know how proud I am of you and all that you do for me and for the community. You truly are my hero.