Week in Review – The One That Is Late

If I thought last week was so busy I forgot it was Friday, it had nothing on this week. This week was one of those weeks where when Friday came, I was glad of it, but yet so worn out I didn't want to do much of anything. We turned more miles in one week than we have in a long time. I am thankful for it, but have forgotten how turning that many miles, and quite a few of them in questionable weather, can wear you out. Looking back I know that when we first started trucking, we turned almost half again as many miles, but at that point my youngest daughter wasn't on the truck.

This was the snow that had fallen in Cincinnati just three hours after we got there, at which point we were still waiting to load the engine, and the snow was still falling.

This week also included our first shut down due to snow. We started the week in San Antonio (last Friday). We deadheaded all the way up to Cincinnati, hoping we would be able to get there, loaded, and start on the way out before the snow hit. Well, that didn't work out so well. Instead we got there, and waited nearly six hours to load an engine they told us it would take two hours max to finish. As we sat there, the snow rolled in. The roads were slick in the city, leaving us to question how horrible the roads would be on the open road. Since our route included several hills and curves, with questionable roads, we made the call to stop and wait until morning. By morning, it was smooth sailing.

Snow on top of already icy roads in North Indiana. 

Snow covered Chicago Midway.

Monday, which was a holiday, left us wondering if we would be able to deliver the engine in Houston. After waiting to leave because of the snow, I had battled fog on the last stretch, and really needed a little rest. No rest for the weary, we went up to Dallas and loaded going to Indianapolis and Chicago. The roads weren't too bad until the last stretch, at which point the water in the sleeper of our truck had froze. We were in desperate need of a thaw. Thankfully, we got word we would get that thaw. We reloaded in Indianapolis, after waiting for a squall line to move through and an airplane to leave the hangar, and then loaded another engine in Charlotte and headed to Miami. While on that stretch we had a light bar fall off (that was loads of fun to try to stop without having too much more damage), and the governor on our air compressor freeze. We thought the latter of those two repairs was going to be a pain to fix, but thankfully, I was able to get in touch with a dear friend, who reassured us it is an inexpensive fix that is not difficult.

You can say what you would like, and call me a fair weather trucker, but I dislike driving in most weather. I dislike rain because, while I can see, it seems most cars can’t see too well, so I am watching even closer to make sure I can see everything. I dislike fog because I have seen too many times where the other people didn't slow to the conditions and cause major wrecks. I dislike snow because you get the worst of the wetness the rain brings, and then the fear the roads will freeze to an ice skating rink, leaving you no way to control what happens. I trust my driving; it is the other people I don’t always trust. This week had me battle fog, my husband battled snow and ice, and I had a few flurries and thicker snow lines to deal with myself. We made it through safe, and thankful for God’s hand guiding us.

It is now Sunday. My husband’s birthday is tomorrow. While we were en route, I was able to stop and get his “birthday chrome,” a tradition we started. Of course it was no surprise to him what I got, but it is rather difficult to keep things a secret when we live within fifteen feet of each other. We spent yesterday getting parts for the truck and walking the mall. I was so worn out yesterday, the last thing on my mind was sharing our week.

I was blessed that this week she wanted to do schoolwork on her own. It amazes me how that works out sometimes. She finished three books on her own this week. One, we had been working on together, and the other two she just picked up and read because she wanted to keep going. I am so proud of her. I kissed her forehead several times this week and said thank you. While I grew up not hearing, “I am proud of you.” I have tried very hard to let my kids know when I am proud of them.

This week, while listening to the radio I heard, “What would you have tomorrow, if you were only left with what you thanked God for today.” Several times throughout the week I thanked God he got us to this place safe, or got us through that weather situation. When we sit to eat we thank God for our meal and the safety we have had up to that point, and pray for continued safety and wisdom. I have to say when I heard that question, I thought of how few things I would have. Sometimes, I tiring day or week can leave you thankful for the ability to make it through, but too tired to be thankful for much more. That was this kind of week. As I sit here, with everyone else, even the dogs, sleeping, I am reminded to pause and be thankful for what we have. We have been blessed with this truck, and the ability to make enough to keep things going. We have been blessed to have found a company where we can turn enough miles to get our bills caught up (this week we even paid off a credit card). We have been blessed to have our health (while my sinuses hated the dryness, we still have been blessed with very few down days due to illness). We have been blessed to be out here with each other, learning, sharing, and growing together. We have been blessed with friends who are reassuring and knowledgeable, without them we wouldn't try to handle so many things on our own. This week I am very grateful for my dear friend, Jeff, who truly blesses our lives continuously. I have been blessed with a hard working husband who wants me to just keep driving in fair weather, and have him take all the funky weather. I have been blessed with a teenager that appreciates how hard we work to keep things going. I am thankful for these things and so many more.

God blesses our lives continually. Sometimes it takes going through a rough patch to see the blessings on the other side, but if you look, you can always find something to be thankful for. No matter how hard things in your life may be, there is someone who would be thankful to be in your shoes. Remember to stop and thank God for your blessings.

 

This was from my fortune cookie during our birthday weekend lunch. While I am not a man, I am happy!

Labels

This time of year brings to mind several favorite things. No, I won’t break into song to list them (although I could do that with the mood I am in); I will take time to talk about one of them today. One of my favorite things is wrapping and labeling presents. Today, I just want to touch on the labeling portion.

After the presents are wrapped, I love to come up with creative labeling options and creative ways to label the presents. I have used ornaments to label the presents (the ornaments had the kids’ names on them), old Christmas card cutouts with the labeling on the back, store bought labels, and even pieces of wrapping paper. I usually try to think about the labeling while I am shopping, and will try to get labels to coordinate with the wrapping paper if I am going to use store bought labels. It is a big deal (in my mind) to label presents appropriately, considering the person and the gift. In the end, that label ends up being read quickly, some figure out the cryptic clues, and anxiously toss the label aside.

Today as I was driving, I started thinking about the various labels we have, and the labels we put on others. Our parents could have labeled us things like lazy, selfish, or slow; or they may have given us a great label like beautiful, gifted, or generous. Teachers label students on their report cards with words like talkative, bright, lacks attention, fidgety, or a joy. Sisters and brothers label us a pain, silly, dumb, or self-centered. Other family members come up with their own labels as well.

Society labels us in a few different ways. They label us by our job (truck driver, accountant, teacher, cop, etc.), and from that label us further based on stereotypes or history. They label us by our looks (pretty, tall, nerdy, ugly, etc.). They label us the same as the company we keep, whether they know them or not. They label us by our car, or lack thereof, neighborhood, hometown, or even our current state of residence (dumb redneck Alabamian).

Just like words spoken to someone, once a person is treated like their label, it can harm them. However, what if we choose to see the labels not as a “scarlet letter,” but as a badge of honor.

Yes, I am a truck driver. I am not a dirty, rude, unorganized idiot. Cleanliness is important to me, and anyone who has been in our truck knows it is organized (sometimes organized chaos, but organized the same). I do not believe I am an idiot.

I am a mother, a step-mother, a grandmother, a grand daughter, a sister, a niece, and a cousin. I am a homeschool teacher. I am our accountant and tax preparer. I am a writer (whether anyone else reads what I write or not). I am these things and so much more.  These are labels I choose to wear proudly.

What about the labels we are given by God? I am blessed. I am forgiven. I am a friend. I am beautiful. I am graceful (believe me I have to claim that one a lot). I am healthy. I am rich (another I claim a lot). I am strong.

We can look at any label in a positive or negative way. If someone has labeled you negatively, I challenge you to look at how you can turn that on its head. Even if you can’t change someone’s mind about a preconceived notion, have faith that you are worthy of seeing yourself in the best light. Remember, you are a special creation, labeled as only our Creator can label anyone.

Thankfulness

It was my intention to say something I was thankful for each day in my blog, and then life comes along and so many more things become important than posting in a blog. In an attempt to catch up, I am going to list things I meant to say I was thankful for, but never did.
I am thankful for family. This week I have been fortunate enough to spend time with several different members of my family. Whenever we are home, I am thankful for that time. I am thankful God has blessed me with so many different family members who add so much to my life.
I am thankful for my husband. Without my husband, I certainly would not be where I am, and we would spend SO much more trying to get things done to the truck. He is a great mechanic, a terrific help mate (especially when my English doesn't match someone else's), a great lover, and my best friend. I have been through so much crap and now I can truly appreciate the man he is.
I am thankful for God. God works in so many different ways to make things easier, and to always have a rock to lean on when things are tough. God and prayer are definitely a blessing.
I am thankful for technology. Technology makes homeschooling so much easier, staying in touch easier, and so many other things.
Now that I have "caught up," I hope to be able to continue the rest of the month as I should have.

Stupid....

To most of you, who have a loving mother, you will never understand how blessed you are. I love the mother I had, but not the woman I have for a mother now. I have been raised by a number of strong women. My mother went through a rough divorce when I was in high school, and a wonderful woman (Linda, who was my best friend's mom) kept both our heads on straight. Linda helped my mother in a great many ways I couldn't. Slowly my mother has become an angry, bitter, controlling woman that I don't like. While we were at home, I had the pleasure of meeting my daughter's boyfriend. Kris asked if I knew what my granddaughter calls him. I didn't. She said he is called "Stupid Stephen". It turns out among the hatred my mother spews, a great many things are called stupid.... I know it makes me angry an adult cannot watch their tongue enough around a toddler that she is now referring to a nice guy as stupid. More than that, my mother makes me sad. I understand her life hasn't been easy, but she was the one who taught me to pick myself up, dust off and continue. Make the best of things. Now, she cannot do that. I pray for her regularly. Maybe one day she will see her stupid comments are just that, stupid.