Merry Christmas!

Miami Beach day

For Christmas this year, we requested to be routed through Florida. The warmth sounds so relaxing after everything we've been through lately. In fact, they're having an unseasonably warm Christmas - and we're enjoying every minute of it! A couple days to relax, in a hotel with a real bed, a normal shower, and pleasant weather outside...it's been lovely!

We visited the Miami Zoo, and found the exhibits interesting and interactive. We also went to the beach and basked in the gorgeous weather! We cooked a delicious roast in the crockpot for a good Christmas dinner, and simply relaxed and enjoyed the time off.

While there are a lot of people that we miss and would like to spend time with over Christmas, we did get to Skype with both sets of parents. We have much to be thankful for this year - each other, the people that are dear to us, and the adventures that we share together. We have the memories of Christmases past, the hope of Christmases future, and the love of a Savior who humbled Himself to walk among us before giving the ultimate sacrifice. We are blessed.

Merry Christmas!

More Weather Experiences

#3 catching some sun

Well, we're currently sitting in Georgia, waiting on our next load - our assigned load got cancelled! That's the way that trucking goes though. Sometimes they run you so hard you barely have time to breathe, picking up loads as soon as you deliver others. And then other times you sit at a location all day because the load that was supposed to be picked up at 10am was actually scheduled for 9pm by a miscommunication - only to get cancelled at 8:30pm, leaving you high and dry.

Snow and ice on the windshield 

The past week has been interesting: we have experienced nearly every kind of inclement weather and now we have also experienced heavy snow and ice. We had a load from Dallas, Texas to Denver, Colorado. Just after crossing the Kansas/Colorado border, we hit a sudden snowstorm, completely obliterating the road in snow. We pulled over at a truck stop for about 4 hours to let the storm blow by, then managed to safely deliver the load in Denver.

View from our parking spot 

Our load back out of Denver, however, was 3 hours late on its pickup time. When we finally got the load and headed back out of town, we could tell another storm was right behind us. We tried to outrun the storm, but got caught in freezing fog, which coated everything in ice. Our mirrors, headlights, and windshield froze over, and the road became slick. Then the storm caught up, adding wind and snow to the mix. We pulled over again, but this time the storm lasted almost 24 hours! It continued to snow and the wind increased to 40 mph. Parked 100 feet away from the truck stop, we couldn't even see the building!

Snow and ice on the fields 

Thankfully, our fleet manager understood when we explained the conditions. We spent the night in a hotel, and got up the next morning to 6 degrees with a wind chill below zero. The wind had finally calmed down and highway workers had been working to partially clear the roads. A few hours later, after letting the truck warm up and scraping off the snow, the temperature had reached 12 degrees. We cautiously started out, driving slowly as the road still had patchy ice. The farther east we got, the clearer the roads became. About the time we reached the Kansas border again, the roads were clear enough to run full speed again.

Needless to say, we are pretty done with snow for now! We aren't wishing for a white Christmas this year - in fact, we've requested to be routed through Florida over Christmas. It sounds so warm and inviting after what we've been through lately!

Merry Christmas, and stay safe!

Christmas Memories

Only a few days left till Christmas! Are you ready for it? I have been enjoying rolling down the road listening to Christmas music.

We'll have the day of Christmas off, but instead of trying to get to any of our family and rushing to see everyone in one day, we decided to stay on the road and let everyone who has kids or family go home. We also decided not to exchange gifts this year, since we have no room in the semi to keep stuff and no time to buy and mail stuff. Instead, we have told out family that we ask for their thoughts and prayers, and phone calls when possible - what more could we want?

Of course, it doesn't feel much like Christmas since we won't be seeing anyone or exchanging presents. But listening to Christmas music brings back a lot of cherished memories.

Family Christmas photo, circa early 2000s

When Bing Crosby croons "White Christmas" or Burl Ives tells us the story of Rudolph, it takes me back to snuggling on the couch with my mom, watching the classic Christmas movies every year. I smell cookies baking and see rows of chocolate dipped marshmallows that we will give out to our neighbors.

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" makes me think of going with my dad to pick out a Christmas tree. "The First Noel" and "Silent Night" bring back memories of days spent celebrating with church family and participating in the yearly church Christmas skit.

"Walking in a Winter Wonderland" reminds me of my first few winters in Indiana. Snow was a magical thing. My friends laughed at my enthusiasm, but I enjoyed the experience - snowmen, snow angels, snowballs, even [accidentally] falling through the ice on a river.

Lights at the zoo, Dec 2014

"Mr Grinch" makes me smile because last year, it was the only Christmas movie my sweetheart and I could find to watch in the few hours we had together. Our first Christmas was small, but we had each other and so we had the whole world.

It doesn't feel much like Christmas this year...but we will be together, wherever we are. What more could I want?

Safe travels, and merry Christmas to you!

Life At the Moment

The past few days I have spent alternately flat on my back or curled up in a little ball. At first we thought it was a stomach flu bug, but as it progressed over 4 days we concluded it was more likely food poisoning. Whatever it was, it kicked my butt! I'm sure you don't want to hear about the various forms of fluid that exited my body, but suffice to say that my whole system cleaned itself out. It's like a reset, a new start - because believe me, there is nothing left in my body from the past week!

It got me thinking about resets, new starts, second chances. Obviously the new year is swiftly approaching, the time when most people ponder their past and set new goals for their future. Sometimes a fresh start is exactly what we need, getting rid of the old distractions and focusing on the changes that need to be made. While letting go of the past isn't always a pleasant experience, sometimes it is necessary before we can move on to the new goals ahead.

Well, there's my deep thought of the day. In other news, my unit Christmas party was Sunday. It was a blast for the kids - games, presents, Santa, a bounce house, etc. For the adults, it was kinda boring. The food was definitely the best part - and there was plenty of it! Much better than last year, when, due to a misunderstanding, my sweetie and I didn't get to eat at all!

After drill weekend, we got to visit with some of my wonderful in-laws. We also viewed a property that we are considering buying in the future.

Not sure yet where exactly we will settle down, but we intend to be somewhat close to my hubby's family. We want to be involved with family, especially when we're ready to have kids. We want property that we can raise animals and children on, room to expand and experiment and live. Room for kids to play, room to grow and raise most of our own food, room to work with our hands on the land and enjoy the years we are given.

And now we are back on the road. We have already added a few more states to our trucking map (at the bottom of the page). The last few days we haven't moved much since I was sick, but we're ready to see where we're headed next. Safe travels to you!

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

Today is Thanksgiving and in the great tradition of the holiday, I am counting my blessings.

My love is here next to me. It's his turn to drive and we are cruising down the road, belting out classic country songs and laughing at highway signs. Last year, he and I had just a few hours together before we both rushed off to work. I am SO thankful that we get to be together all day today (and every day)!

Our furry four legged baby is in the back curled up on the bunk. She is convinced that the bunk belongs to her. She has adjusted very well to trucking; she knows the sounds of the air brakes and the turn signal, and when the truck slows down she jumpa up to watch out the window. Her presence makes this adventure better and I can't imagine doing this without her.

A recent visit with my parents 

We've seen both of our families regularly lately. Driving across the country has allowed us to visit with my family several times recently, and when we go home we often get to visit my lovely in-laws. We may not be with them on the holidays, but I am so thankful for the memories made.

The prayers of our family and friends accompany us across the country. No matter where we are or what we're facing, our loved ones are thinking of us and lifting us up to our Heavenly Father. Long phone calls with dear ones break up the monotony of the miles we drive. There is nothing more precious than hearing their voices and knowing there is love behind them.

It was delicious! 

We're on the road this Thanksgiving, and though we are rolling, we will have a good meal today. There won't be fine china this year, but paper plates are just fine. There won't be any of our family with us, but our own little family is together and that's all I could ask for. There's a ham in my crockpot, smelling wonderful, and mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese will grace our makeshift table.

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Dear Driver...

To the driver of the gray pickup who passed me today and felt like a one-fingered wave was appropriate...

1. Everything you eat, drink, wear, drive, write on, or use in any way, including the phone in your hand and the pickup truck you are driving, was on a semi at some point before coming into your possession. If we stopped rolling down the road, your world would come to a stop.

2. I know you were annoyed because I was driving 65mph in a 75mph speed limit zone. What you might not know is that my truck is governed at 65mph. That means it won't accelerate any faster. In fact, most semis are governed between 59 and 65. Trust me, we are not driving slower than you would like just to annoy you.

Rearview rainbow 

3. There are many reasons semis might drive slower than they are capable of going. For instance, in the past 24 hours, my husband and I drove through areas under high wind advisories, flash flood warnings, severe thunderstorms, dust storms, and tornado warnings...and that was just today. Keep in mind, I am 73 feet long and 13 feet 6 inches high. If there is high wind, rain, standing water, low visibility, curves in the road, mountains, or any other situations that pose a hazard, please believe that I will drive at a speed that I feel is appropriate to the current conditions. This is for my safety as well as yours. You want to go home to your family tonight, right? If I lose control and cause an accident due to reckless driving, you will wish that I had been more careful.

Next time you pass a trucker, feel free to smile and wave. Or don't, that's your call. But please don't get mad at us for doing our job to the best of our ability.

Be safe out there, folks.

Our First Anniversary

One year ago today, I married my best friend.

November 15, 2014

It's been an interesting year... We've had our ups and downs. We've learned so much about each other and learned how much we have yet to learn. We've faced a lot together and come through stronger and closer than ever.

A year ago, I had no idea we would be spending our first anniversary in a semi. I had no idea that we would put everything we own in storage and hit the road, driving thousands of miles every week. I had no idea I would wake up this morning, with my sweetheart and our dog all crammed on a twin size bed, somewhere in California... But here we are.

November 15, 2015

And you know what? No matter where we are or what we are doing, there is nowhere I would rather be than by the side of this amazing man. Come what may, we will face it together - and that is everything.

A year ago, we had already been through so much, we were already deeply committed to each other, and we were thrilled to officially and legally pledge ourselves to each other before God and our family and friends. Today, we have a deeper understanding, commitment, and love for each other.

Love is a living thing, that grows or ebbs based on how you feed it. Every day we make the choice to love each other, to choose each other, to have patience with each other, to be kind to each other, to be there for each other.

I can't wait to see what God has for our future. No matter where we go, no matter what we do...I love you.