The Woman Behind The Man!

Here's one for the lovely truckers wives out there!!

A Truck Drivers Prayer!

I love this! It says a lot of things that are so true! Thank you truckers for all you do!!! Return home safe!

A Day Off!

Everyone knows a truck drivers wife spends a lot of time home alone. With that being said, when he does get the chance to come home, even for just a little while, that time is important! Every time my hubby delivers his last load, he calls me and let's me know he is on his way home. That is one of my favorite phone calls! I often catch myself google mapping his location to get an idea of how many hours it will be before he arrives!

Many times it's late at night or early morning when he finally arrives. There have been several occasions where my hubby would have to call and wake me up so I can go pick him up. I quickly jump out of bed and throw on my shoes and head toward the yard. Luckily, his home terminal is just about a mile down the road, so it doesn't take me long to get there. I love it when I pull up and see his truck parked and he is climbing out of the drivers seat, it's then that I know he is going to be home with me for at least a little while!

This career keeps him on the road more than I would like, but when he gets the chance to stop in during the week, it makes the wait for the weekend much easier. Like I have mentioned before, this is his job, and him being away from home so much is just part of his job, and something I have learned to deal with. You know they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. That may be true, but I sure wish he wasn't absence so much :(

Home time is important for the driver and his wife. It gives the hubby the chance to relax and catch up on what he missed while he was gone, and it allows his wife to know he is home safely and gives her the chance to spend quality time with her hard working man! In my opinion, it takes a strong couple to handle this type of career, the trucker may be the one out there over the road driving for countless hours, miles away from home, but the wife is at home keeping everything running smoothly, and I will admit, there are times that's not as easy as it sounds!

So to all you truckers wives out there, when your man is home, be sure to spend a lot of quality time with him and let him know how much he is appreciated for all he does to keep everything up and running. They sacrifice a lot leaving their family just to make a living!

If you are a truck driver and you are with your family, if only for a day, WELCOME HOME! You are appreciated for all you do!

Disrespectful Motorists!

When I go on the road with my hubby, I am always so amazed at the things I see. Being at home, I don't get the chance to experience all he the things he has to deal with while he is working. The one thing I see all the time is how other vehicles on the interstate disrespect truck drivers. They are constantly pulling out in front of them, acting like they own the road and if they were stuck driving behind a semi, that would be the most awful thing in the world!

Most people don't realize that these semi's cannot stop on a dime. These trucks weigh thousands of pounds and take time to come to a safe, complete stop. It especially bothers me when drivers that have children in their vehicle try to pull in front of  a semi, that is very dangerous and they should be more aware when on the Interstate, or anywhere for that matter. 

The Interstate can be a dangerous place. When traveling among so many other vehicle, safety is key! Truckers are out there just trying to do their job. They have family at home waiting for them to return, so when you are out driving, please be aware of your surroundings. Everyone deserves to reach their destination safely, whether your driving a semi or four-wheeled vehicle. We want everyone to be able to return from their travels to their families healthy and in one piece.

Just please understand, semi's cannot stop as quick as a car! I also feel they deserve more respect for what they do on a daily bases. If it wasn't for a truck driver, customers wouldn't be able to shop and the stores shelves would be empty!! My message is...."Stay Safe! Give Semi Driver's some room on the road!!

Phone Calls!

As the wife of a truck driver, my cell phone has become my best friend. It's that little device that keeps me in contact with my husband while we are separated. Phone calls from Steven is what breaks the loneliness for me. When my cell rings and I look down and see the words, "The Hubby" on the screen it brings a smile to my face, because I know when I hit the "accept" button, his voice will be on the other end. I know to some of you this might sound a little sappy, but it's my husbands voice that calms me and makes me feel safe. He is my best friend and the love of my life, so when he calls me from the road it makes my day so much better.

I call him every night before I go to bed as well. He has this special "Nite Nite" he says to me, and it's that special phone call "tuck in" that helps me sleep better. Without that special nighttime call I tend to be restless and unable to sleep. So, that's why the phone calls are important to me. If I was unable to communicate with him while he was on the road I think it would drive me crazy until he was safely back home!

The Dreadful Thermos!

Oh, the dreadful thermos, as I call it. This small container made to be filled with coffee has become my worst enemy. I say that because I know when it's time to fill that thermos, I know it's time for my husband to leave out on a run that will take him from home for a while. It also means I will be spending a lot of time alone. There are times I wish Steven could get a local job so he would be home with me every night, but I know that's not possible, at least not any time soon. It's his truck driving career that keeps a roof over our head and food on the table. Being alone is just a sacrifice I have to make when it comes to being able to pay our bills.

So, you see how a container that holds coffee means so much more than just a hot cup of java, it means the beginning of a long, lonely week. It's funny how a material object can stir up so much emotion. I don't know if other truck drivers wives feel the same as I do about the dreadful thermos, but to me it's not just an innocent drink holder, it's an indicator that means my husband and I are going to be many miles apart for a while, and that makes me emotional, as there are times I don't like being alone, especially at night when it's bedtime and I am on my side of the bed and his side is empty.

When it's time to start a fresh pot of coffee, I know it won't be much longer before I have to drive Steven to the yard so he can climb into his semi and head out to another state. This process happens every week, you would think I would be use to it by now, but nope, it's never easy to say goodbye.  

This is How it Began :)

Like thousands of other ladies out there, I am the wife of an Over-the-Road truck driver. This title in itself is a job, as I am responsible for the day to day tasks that is usually handled by the husband. However; with his career keeping him away from home several days a week, most everything falls into my lap. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm a very proud wife that supports my husbands job. I'm just stating there are times when I wish my husband could be here to handle situations that sometimes arise. I know it may seem that being the wife of a truck driver is simple, but as you read on you will quickly see it's not.

I met my future husband, Steven, in 1997, and at that time he had already been a truck driver for six years. I knew from the beginning that this was his job and it was going to mean a lot of alone time for myself. I had already known a little about what the trucking business was like, as my dad was a trucker when I was a child. I remember many nights my mom and I were at home alone while my dad was out making a living to support our family. I remember sitting at the dinner table wishing my dad were there with us, but he was out doing what needed to be done to make ends meet. Even though I know it was hard on him and my mom when he had to miss a birthday or holiday, they loved each other very much and they knew times like this would happen. When occasions like this would arise, my mom always made sure I had an amazing day and my dad would always make sure he called and talked to me and wanted to hear all about my day!

Seeing all these things growing up as a child, when I first met my husband I wasn't sure if I was able to handle some of the things that came along with being with a truck driver. However; the love we share for each other outweighs the loneliness that sneaks in when he is out on the road. I will admit it hasn't been easy, but he is the love of my life and I support his career and the obstacles that come with it. Some of you might think a trucker's life is a piece of cake, just driving across country making deliveries, well I'm here to tell you this job comes with a lot of stress, loneliness and  emotional weight on all parties evolved.

The first time I took a trip with my husband on the big truck I was twenty three years old. My children were ages three and four at the time and I packed them a bag and they joined us. I quickly learned having little ones cooped up in a bunk for several hours at a time is nerve racking. At first  they were full of excitement, ready to ride in the semi. After the first night the excitement began to wear off and turn to boredom. I was expecting this to happen, as they were two energy filled children wanting to run and play, which is impossible while riding down the interstate. After that first trip, I decided it would be best to just wait a while before taking another. The kids needed to be home where they can be free to run out their energy and sleep comfortably in their own beds. This was the first of many nights I was alone while my new love was thousands of miles away working. I knew this was something I had to get use to if we were going to be together. So I began to weigh my pros and cons. As you can tell by me writing this, I went with the pros!

Steven and I have now been together a total of nineteen years, married for 12. In those years, there have been many trips across the United States with him in the semi, some with the children and some with out. Now that the children are grown and on their own, it's just me and Steven driving down the interstate delivering in all parts of the US. I cherish the times I ride with him. It allows us to have quality time together, something we are unable to have when he is out on the road alone. One thing I have learned being a passenger is, there is so many different people in the world and so many things going on that I would have missed if I was at home. One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling with my husband is getting the chance to stop at special landmarks and take in the beauty the world has to offer. I think the best thing I have seen is when we were in Montana. Steven woke me up one night and we were parked on the side of the road. He asked me to slip my shoes on and step outside of the truck. When I did, he turned out all the lights off and told me to look up at the sky. I was in awe, there were millions of stars scattered across the dark sky! I have never seen so many stars in my life, it was truly breathtaking! I could have stood there for hours watching the twinkles in the sky, it's definitely an experience I will never forget.