Fire Truck ride

Wednesday evening, October 8, we received a call from a friend who is a volunteer fireman in our town. He told us the firefighters were having an open house for the new fire station and were giving rides. How cool is that?! So we hurried with our dinner and packed the kids into the car. We had to get these rides done in about 1/2 hour as we were headed to gospel meeting. We got there to find a line of parents and children waiting their turn. They were taking about 5 people per ride. We went inside the station and got the cool fire chief hats for the kids. There were tattoos and a "stop, drop, and roll" sucker too. Our friend, Jeff, told us he had called down to one of the firefighters that we were coming and were on a time limit. Jeff is a battalion chief (I think.) and respected. Soon we had our turn. I don't think it was because of the phone call, though. It was because all the other kids were in larger groups. Anyways, we loaded into the truck, fastened our seat belts and off we went. They drove down one city block, then turned onto the bypass highway. He promptly turned on the siren and honked the big horn! WooHoo! Soon, we were cruising about 55mph down the highway, sirens blaring, horns honking. The kids were wide eyed! See?

About a mile down the road, we turned around and headed back. Same thing with the sirens and horn. We met another truck doing the same thing. I had to wonder about the poor folks living right west of this highway. "Hey! There must be a fire! ...uh, well, maybe not. It looks like the truck turned around. But why does he still have the siren on?...Wait a minute! Here comes another one." Ten minutes later... "Hey! There must be a fire! ...uh, well, maybe not. It looks like the truck turned around..." You get the picture!

So, this is posted a month after it happened. But I am getting there. Yesterday, Jonathan and Annisia were playing fireman before we left for the gym. Jonathan picked up one of these hats and said, "Is this one mine or yours, Annisia?" Well the hats are exactly the same so it doesn't really matter, but I asked if they wanted me to write their names on them. "Oh, yeah, mommy!" So out to the kitchen we trooped to where the permanent markers are. I was ready with my pen and Jonathan said, "I'm Rogen (like Roger)." So I wrote "Rogen". Then he said, "And write HOH 9 10. And a star (because he saw the star on the front of the hat.) and then T-I-double guh-er." I about fell over. (for those of you who don't know, that's how Tigger (of Pooh fame) spells his name.) Then it was Annisia's turn. I asked her what her name was. She shyly said, "I don't know." So I asked if we should ask Jonathan. "Yeth." (yes...with a lisp!) He said her name was Racecar, and she said, "and a sthar" and Jonathan said, "and T-I-double guh-er on hers too!" I know, my kids are brilliant!