Training Week 2 and 3

Indiana corn fields

We are done with Weeks 2 and 3! I have been from South Carolina to Maryland, and Wisconsin to Kentucky, and Don has been all the way out to California. It has been incredibly stressful, mostly because of everything besides driving. Driving is fun - construction zones, mountains, and bad weather are exhausting, and mechanical issues, miscommunications, and rude people make the job much more difficult. But when my honey and I are back together to deal with all the frustrations, it will be so much better.

The hardest part, of course, is being apart from each other. I miss my sweetheart so much it aches. But I am thankful for long phone calls, sweet text messages, and random selfies. I keep reminding myself that it's not permanent, it's only for a couple more weeks, it's so much better than deployment, it will be amazing when we're back together. And actually it has been good for us - it has helped us strengthen our communication and get back to the basics of our relationship. It has been a good thing...but we're both ready for it to be over.

Colorado trees beginning to change colors

As for our trainers, they are both very nice people. However, they are people who are used to working alone and doing things their own way. And of course some disagreements and misunderstandings are inevitable when two complete strangers are locked into a space the size of a walk-in closet and forced to work together. In addition, unlike most jobs, you can't go home at night and come back refreshed the next day. Sleeping in the berth certainly isn't uncomfortable, but if the other person makes any movement, the whole truck moves. Suffice to say that we are getting very, very ready to be out of training and back together.

Nebraska clouds

Once we have our own truck, we will be able to find our own way of doing things. We will be able to agree on where to place our belongings in the truck, and figure out a schedule that works for us. There will still be difficult days but at least we will be able to face them together.

In the meantime, we are simply doing our best to get through one day at a time. We have learned so much about trucking - picking up loads and delivering them, and everything in between. It's difficult right now, but in the long term it will be a good thing. We just have to make it till then!