Pregnancy Update; 32 Weeks

Just a quick update! I am really getting anxious for this baby to come! The weeks are counting down!

I will most likely be induced at 38-39 weeks so they can stop my blood thinners before I go into labor. Which means we only have 6-7 weeks until baby-day!!

There's still a lot that needs done until she arrives and she does not have a name, but I am calm...for now!

I have routine OB appointment next Tuesday and ultrasound to see if she turned from being breech! I also scheduled a breastfeeding class for next week as well since I did not breastfeed our first!

Still trying to plan how we will handle A being home for the delivery (praying I do not go into labor before induction date!) and we are hoping he can take at least a week off to be home with me and our newborn!

10 Tips for New Trucker Wives; Take Charge on the Home Front

As I said before there is not much information out there about "How to be a Trucker-wife" or how to make this life easier on yourself and your family. It took a while after my husband started OTR to get a handle on things and to be content with this decision. At the time I had wished there was somebody there to give me advice in the beginning, maybe it would not have taken me so long to accept this life and make the most of it!

So I decided to comprise a list of tips for new trucker-wives and how to handle the transition easier. This list can also be useful if your significant other has any job away from home.

Last week I discussed how planning out your time together can be beneficial. This week I will continue on with this series and talk about taking on responsibilities at home.

So here goes, tip #5...
5. Take Charge on the Home Front

With your husband now gone, most of chores that were once split down the middle have disproportionately got laid down on your plate! Do not let yourself feel resentful because of this. Take this opportunity to start "wearing the pants!" (but don't let your husband know this! ha) Take charge of the checkbook and bills, make decisions yourself, organize your home they way you want it!

My husband did a lot around the house. We both worked full time before he started trucking which meant we both had to share responsibilities around the home because neither of us were home often. A lot of things were left un-done and/or disorganized. When he went over the road...I stood up and took charge. I looked at it as an opportunity to run my house the way I wanted to!

Start taking it upon yourself to take your vehicle to get serviced, take the garbage out, learn how to fix things and do the "man-work". Not only will your house stay more organized and taken care of but you might also start to feel pride that you are able to take care of things on your own!

By filling your days with a routine and getting things accomplished, it leaves you little time to sit and think about your significant other being away. It is easy to fall into a depression when all that you think about is him not being there...fight that urge to mope and make yourself up a routine to follow each day and goals you want to accomplish! It may not sound like fun, but it is rewarding!

Also, by taking care of most of the responsibilities at home, it will give you and your trucker more quality time to spend together during his home-time! Don't get me wrong, there are still things I refuse to do, like mow the lawn, change the kitty-litter, or carry very heavy objects! So do not think that I am saying do EVERYthing and leave nothing for him to do, I am just saying pick up a few of the shared chores and take charge of your home! Believe me you will feel proud of yourself!

How have the responsibilities in your home changed since your trucker has been on the road?

Sickness Over the Road

Recently my home was hit with a stomach sickness. Luckily it was during the week and I was able to take care of things and disinfect our house before A got home. I took the time and bleached EVERYthing, I tore the bed clothes off the beds, washed every sheet, blanket, and pillow, and doused our bathrooms with bleach.

When Friday rolled around I was proud of myself. The house was immaculate and I did my part to help keep my hubby healthy so he could work his hardest and provide for his family. We went on to have a very nice weekend and nobody got sick. I did my duty.

A left Monday morning with confidence that he was going to be okay.

Then Wednesday rolled around and I got the phone call. A was sick too. Crap!

I did everything I could to try to keep him from getting any germs. Now I sat and worried about him being on the road. I sat and thought about all the things I should have packed for him in case this scenario popped up.

So I went to work at creating a medicine cabinet for my hubby to take with him!

 

1. Ibuprofen: Fever and Pain Reducer
2. Acetaminophen: Fever and Pain Reducer
3. Phenylephrine HCI Tablets: Non-Drowsy Nasal Decongestant
4. Guaifenesin, USP: Non-Drowsy Cough Medicine
5. Loratadine: non-sedating Anti-histamine
6. Pepto-Bismol: Nausea, Heartburn, Indigestion, Upset Stomach, Diarrhea (You know you just sung that like the commercial!)
7. Cortisone Cream: Anti-Itch Cream
8. Icy-Hot: rub-on muscle pain reducer
9. Thermometer

Always remember to purchase NON-DROWSY drugs at all times! This is very important when they will be behind the wheel all day long. It is also always a good idea to keep well-hydrated at all times, especially when fighting an illness because dehydration can happen quickly. Drinks such as Gatorade and good old fashion H2O are best for this! Encourage your trucker to pull over and rest if it is that bad. He does not want to risk hurting other drivers on the road or himself, and find the closest urgent care or emergency room!

I meet lots of sick truck drivers at work because I work in a small rural hospital located near a turn pike off ramp. It is a common stop for drivers who are having health problems. Many of them have asked to keep the adult diapers and urinals or bedpans in case they get sick while driving....I brought this up to my husband half joking, he adamantly refused! haha!

Another thing you might want to think about adding to your trucker's medicine stock, a good daily multivitamin! I am not sure about your significant other but I am sure A does not eat as well as he should be eating while on the road. A good multi-vitamin will help him get the nutrients his diet is lacking!

It is also a good idea to purchase a medication to help support the immune system, such as the name brand product Airborne or a vitamin C tablet. It is very important for us all to stay healthy, but I think its more important that A stays as healthy as he can because he is driving all day long, away from home, and away from convenient health care.

Whatever kind of medicine box you put together for your significant other, keep it as simple as possible and as small as possible so it can tuck away in his bunk until needed! Also remember to check the expiration dates after so long, many medications expire after a year!

If you have any other suggestions of things I must add to hubby's medicine chest, leave me a comment! Also keep checking back to read about the first-aid kit I am planning to put together next!

10 Tips for New Trucker Wives; Plan out your time spent together!

As I said before there is not much information out there about "How to be a Trucker-wife" or how to make this life easier on yourself and your family. It took a while after my husband started OTR to get a handle on things and to be content with this decision. At the time I had wished there was somebody there to give me advice in the beginning, maybe it would not have taken me so long to accept this life and make the most of it!

So I decided to comprise a list of tips for new trucker-wives and how to handle the transition easier. This list can also be useful if your significant other has any job away from home.

Last week I discussed the importance of being flexible This week I will continue on with this series and talk a little about spending quality time together.

So here goes, tip #4...

4. Plan out your time spent together!

 

 It is always nice to have something to look forward to do together when your husband is home. Plan your time so you get the most out of it since the two of you do not get to spend a lot of time together.

 

If it has been awhile since the two of you have had time "alone", find a sitter and plan a date together. If your kids are missing their daddy more this week, plan a trip to the playground with daddy so they are excited all week instead of sad about him being away.

 

Useing what little time you have in the most efficient way will help keep your relationship smooth sailing despite the constant distant between you.

 

I also always try to get most of the chores done through the week so most of our time can be spent together on weekend and not wasted on chores that I had time to do all week. This will
make your time together more enjoyable.

This week we are planning to go to a local cash bash picnic and then take our little one to the movie's to see the new EPIC movie! What plans do you have with your trucker this weekend?

Roll on 18-wheeler

This is an image I created with the lyrics from the song "Roll on 18-Wheeler" written by Dave Loggins and sung by Alabama. These lyrics are what gave me the idea for my blog.

"Roll On Momma" is exactly how I try to live my life. When my husband is away from the home I find it an rewarding to stand up and take charge of our life. This goes with chores, taking care of our 2 year old, paying bills, fighting off the door-to-door meat sellers (true story) and anything else that comes my way.

I think that him being away has given me the opportunity to know and be confident that I can run our home and take care of things on my own (not that I want to, because I really would rather him be by my side). Some days I sit around and wish that he was here and think about how much easier some tasks would be (especially now that I am pushing 8 months with child) I know that it is something that needs to be done.

He is supporting our family and there is nobody that I respect more than my husband for sacrificing so much for us. And that is why I choose to support him in what he does by taking care of our home while he is away and by "rolling on" with life when he is not here with us so he does not worry.

How do you continue to "roll on" when your significant other is OTR?

10 Tips for New Trucker Wives; Learn the Value of being Flexible

I am back from my small hiatus! The past couple weeks have been busy preventing me from taking the time I like to have for my blog. It started with a sickness overpowering our household (which will be a whole different post in the future) and then family priorities arose. Sorry its been so long since my last post, I hope people are still reading!! :) I am going to continue with the segment "10 Tips for New Trucker Wives"

As I said before there is not much information out there about "How to be a Trucker-wife" or how to make this life easier on yourself and your family. It took a while after my husband started OTR to get a handle on things and to be content with this decision. At the time I had wished there was somebody there to give me advice in the beginning, maybe it would not have taken me so long to accept this life and make the most of it!

So I decided to comprise a list of tips for new trucker-wives and how to handle the transition easier. This list can also be useful if your significant other has any job away from home...not just trucking. The last tip I posted was "Learn All About the Trucking Industry" this week I want to talk about how developing a flexible personality will help make your life easier and less chaotic.

Here goes....Tip #3


Learn the Value of being Flexible

While driving a truck anything can go wrong. He might get a flat tire on his way home preventing him from making it home on time. Once he gets home (this has happened to us) he may have to fix something on his truck taking time away from your time together.

Like I mentioned before, it is a low blow when you have had it in your mind all day that he was going to be home, and you have planned how that time will be spent, only to find out that it is not going to happen.

There are many ways you can improve your personal flexibility.

Learn to compromise. If you had plans to go out for dinner and a movie with your significant other, but now its 9pm and he's just pulling in....settle for a movie on Netflix and a frozen pizza instead. All that really matters is that you are spending quality time together!

Accept a little imperfection. If you have prepared an elaborate meal only to find out your trucker will be hours late...do not beat yourself up about it. He will not care if the meal needs re-heated. A great way to deal with this is to instead plan a crock-pot meal that takes little effort and can easily wait for his return!

Make back-up plans. It is hard waiting around and being excited for your husband's return. We make plans. We clean the house. We shave our legs. And then we sit around waiting for him to pull in. But sometimes at the last minute you get the phone call that its not going to happen. BUMMER. And all the plans you made just went down the drain. Well...when this happens always have a back-up plan. Do not let your newly washed and straightened hair go to waste! Meet up with an old friend you have not seen in a while, have some you-time at the mall and buy something for yourself, or go on a "mommy-date" with your kids. Do not just sit around and sulk. It will not solve anything and even if you do not believe it, your husband is just as bummed!

What are some ways you have changed your life to become more flexible while living this lifestyle! Let us know by leaving a comment!

I just wanted to add that it is very funny that I decided to write this blog post today. While in the middle of it I got the phone call from my hubby that he is stuck in Illinois. He did not like the way they loaded some pipes onto his truck and he called safety and they agreed but the place that loaded him would not change it. So they unloaded him and now he is waiting on a new load. This means he probably will not make it home this weekend. Awe geez, does anybody want to go to the mall?

Pregnancy update; week 28; baby name delimma!

28 WEEKS! :)

My bump has definitely popped out there since I have last updated about my pregnancy! We are all getting very excited about seeing our tiny baby girl.

Since my last update I have switched to a new OB and am seeing the high risk doctor due to the blood clots I had earlier this year, but thank the good Lord above that all the other issues we have encountered have seem to go away!

The only issue our family has so far is coming up with the time to discuss baby names!! With A being gone during the week and me working every other weekend, it is really hard to find the time to really sit down and give it the thought it needs!!

I think that is why this pregnancy has seem to fly by. Since A is OTR and I am left at home alone to deal with all the chores, work, and taking care of our two year old, it does not leave much time to sit and daydream as I did with my first pregnancy!



Does anybody have any baby name suggestions!? We are leaning towards a "K" name!

Supporting Jason's Law

For those of you who may be new to trucking or just unaware, I wanted to inform you of the story of Jason Riverburg. Jason was a devoted father, husband and OTR truck driver that many of our men can relate to.

On March 4, 2009, en route to drop-off a load in South Carolina, he had to take a section of highway that did not have suitable rest areas or truck stops. Just 12 miles shy of his destination he was forced to park at an abandoned gas station that was rumored to be "safe" among other divers.

He was later found murdered in his bunk and just $7.00 missing from his wallet. His wife gave birth to twins 13 days following his murder.

Hope Riverburg, Jason's wife, has made it her mission to make the roads a safer place for other truck drivers. We should all have pride and respect for what she is doing for our spouses out there! On March 14, 2012 the senate passed the transportation bill (and Jason's Law) 74 to 22!

A brief summary of Jason's Law taken from Jason's Law Web Page

• Construction of safe truck parking facilities & construction of public parking facilities next to commercial truck stops and travel plazas.
• Use existing facilities for truck parking, including inspection and weigh stations and park-and-ride facilities.
• Construct turnouts along the National Highway System & promote the availability of publicly and privately owned parking.
• Make capital improvements to public truck parking facilities currently closed on a seasonal basis.

Although senate has passed the law and funding is available to create safer rest areas, truck drivers continue to be forced to park at unsecured and unsafe places. We need to continue fighting and supporting Jason's Law until the roads are a safer place for one of our nations most vital resources, truck divers.

Hope Riverburg and Truth About Trucking are looking for OTR driver's to take part in a two month survey. The  goal is to collect data concerning inadequate truck parking to present to government officials. Hope also plans to present the results of this study at the 3rd Annual Truck Driver's Social Media Convention.

If you or your spouse would like to be part of this initiative please follow this link to read the qualifications and contact Hope at hope.rivenburg@gmail.com

To learn more about Jason's Law click on the following links...
Jason's Law Facebook Page
Jason's Law: Safety for Truckers
Truth About Trucking : OTR Driver Survey

Safety Tips for Truck Driver Wives

An incident occurred in the past week to make me re-think what I post on my blog. If you have been keeping up with me over the past couple weeks you have probably already realized I have made a few changes. I have come to the harsh realization that some of those who may be reading what I write could possibly mis-use my information or pictures. This is why I have chosen to take down my photos that contain our faces and limit my personal stories. It is sad and scary that there are people out there that may use my blog to cause harm to myself or somebody else, but that is the harsh truth of this world. I will definitely keep posting helpful information for other driver's wives like myself, but I will be keeping my personal stories at a minimum. For the close family and friends who have been reading, I plan to start a new password-protected blog that I will be able to share with you. When I get around to it, I will provide a link.

In the meantime, this incident has sparked a new topic I would like to discuss. Safety tips for trucker wives and a few safety tips for the driver's too! Many of the tips I will discuss you all have probably thought about previously, but it never hurts to hear them again. I will warn you, this may get a little lengthy.

 

Home Alone Safety Tips

• Never give out the information that you are home alone while your husband works away all week. If this information was given to the wrong person it could give them an opportunity to rob you clean and/or do harm to you and your family.
• NEVER post to on-line social media groups that you are alone. Social media spreads like wildfire and before you know it friends of your friends of your friends of your friends 2nd grade school teacher suddenly know that you are "Taking advantage of your husband being on the road all week with a nice warm bath!" at 11:30pm!
• When somebody knocks on the door, UPS, a neighbor, Jehovah's witness, do not let on that your husband is away. Act like he is just in the other room.
• When answering the phone and somebody asks for your spouse, again, pretend that he is just busy, do not give out the information that he works away days and days at a time.
• Always keep in daily contact with a near-by friend or family member.
• Keep all doors and windows locked. (Okay I know this is hard to do in the summer, but at least at night, keep doors and all out-side accessible windows shut and locked.)
• Keep a charged cell-phone within arms-reach.
• Keep a few lights and/or the TV on during the night.
• Install deadbolts and peepholes on doors, carbon monoxide/fire detectors in all rooms, closeable blinds/curtains on all outside-accessible windows, and if your budget allows a security system.
• Do not let ANY acquaintances or strangers into your home and near your family while you are home alone. Always get to know and re-search those you invite into your home. It may seem a little paranoid, but a quick "google-search" of a new friend may show they are harboring dark secrets.

The following are a few safety tips that the wives out there might want to remind their husbands about. Men sometimes think they are able to handle any situation that comes their way, but there are bad people in this world that are out to scam and/or harm whoever they can.

Safety Tips for OTR Truck Drivers

• Advise them to be cautious of anybody who approaches their truck at a truck stop or rest area.
• Urge them to think twice when anybody asks them to step out of their truck for any reason, especially if they are asking them to walk behind the trailers with them.
• Tell them to always keep their trucks locked, even when running into pay at a gas station or fast-food place.
• Make sure they are aware that there are con-artists at rest-areas and truck-stops targeting truckers and trying to get a few bucks out of them. Keep an eye open for scams!
• Be cautious of other truck drivers also. Not everybody is out to make a true friend! It is easy to feel camaraderie with other drivers when on the road, this is okay, but it can also cause you to let your guard down before you normally would.
• Ask them to NEVER give out personal information to "friends" that they meet on the road. This includes your hometown, especially if its small. Also, do not give out your name (the wife) or other family member's names!

If you are reading my blog you probably already have an on-line life. You probably take part in social media websites, read and comment on blogs, possibly even run your own blog. Online support groups are another great places to meet others who are going through the same things you are going through, and being a trucker's wife you may already belong to this type of online community. There are many things you should be aware of and take caution of when posting any type of information online.

Internet Safety

• Keep all personal social media accounts under the most scrutinized privacy settings.
• Do not accept friend requests from those you do not know in "real-life".
• Do not give out personal information on-line, including your hometown, address, phone numbers, names, names of children's schools, or personal e-mail addresses.
• Do not post pictures that contain information of your where-abouts. Check pictures for landmarks, clothing, and/or other clues of your location.
• Think twice before posting pictures of yourself or other family members that contain faces or other distinguishing marks and NEVER post pictures publicly of your children (or yourself) in little clothing.
• Never post where your spouse currently is parked and/or driving to.
• Think twice before contacting by phone and/or meeting anybody you meet online. Limit all communication of on-line contacts to e-mail.

I hope some of these tips reach somebody who can use them and perhaps prevent a harmful circumstance from happening. This is something I have recently taken very personally and seriously. If any of you have any tips that I may have forgotten please comment below and I will add them to my list! This is something we should all take on to keep our families and our truckers safe!

10 Tips for New Trucker Wives : Learn all about the Trucking Industry

As I said last week there is not much information out there about "How to be a Trucker-wife" or how to make this life easier on yourself and your family. It took a while after my husband started OTR to get a handle on things and to be content with this decision. At the time I had wished there was somebody there to give me advice in the beginning, maybe it would not have taken me so long to accept this life and make the most of it!

So I decided to comprise a list of tips for new trucker-wives and how to handle the transition easier. This list can also be useful if your significant other has any job away from home.

Last week I discussed the importance of developing a support system. This week I will continue on with this series and talk a little about the trucking industry.

So here goes, tip #2...

Learn All About the Trucking Industry 

When A left for training neither of us (especially me) knew much about how the trucking industry worked. My knowledge on this topic was very limited and caused a lot of misunderstandings.

I advise both of you to sit down and talk about how it all works. Let him explain to you what he does all day, how getting loaded and unloaded and his "Hours of Service" work.

I was under the assumption he loaded up someplace, drove to where he was to unload, unloaded quickly, slept the night, and then did it all again the next day. Simple as that. Little did I know it is not quite like that. I did not understand why he was not making it home when he originally said he would.

For one thing, there are rules and regulations that truck driver's have to abide by. One of these is the "Hours of Service" (HOS) regulations issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. HOS regulations were adopted for the main purpose of preventing vehicle accidents caused by driver fatigue. These regulations limit the amount of hours drivers may spend working and/or driving and require drivers to take a minimum rest period.

These regulations are a necessities and without them your husband's career would be very dangerous to him and others on the road. While these make driving safer, it also can cause complications for getting home. This combined with traffic and weather conditions will cause delays on getting home more often than not (at least with my experience.)  Even if your significant other is only 15 miles down the road, if his clock runs out, he is forced to shut it down.

I have researched these regulations and I am still not exactly sure how it all works but I know that a driver's time "on-duty", not necessarily driving, is also accounted for. Which means, if he is stuck at a location getting loaded for hours, this time "on-duty" is also counted towards the HOS, therefore creating another roadblock in getting home.

It is not fun being excited all day for your husband to come home, only to get a call that he is not going to make it. In the beginning this would thoroughly piss me off. I did not understand what he was going through and all the roadblocks he encountered trying to make it home. After talking more and understanding how this lifestyle operates, it was easier for me to accept these surprises.

I have only touched on one topic of the trucking industry, I am still learning myself. There are many more topics you and your spouse need to discuss to get a grasp on a better understanding of his work-day. Communication is key and will create a long lasting relationship.


For more information on the trucking industry click on the following links...
US Dept. of Transportation: Summary of HOS
Layover.com : Day in the Life of a Trucker
Truckingtruth.com : OTR The Life of a Long-Haul Truck Driver

The Dreaded Cleaning Day

Yesterday was the dreaded "cleaning day" in our home and that is why I did not post anything new. Since I have still been working full-time hours I am usually only left with a single day a week to do any type of cleaning. I am horrible at house-keeping. There have been many a times when I have washed the same load of laundry 3 times because I forget to switch it to the dryer (don't judge, you know I just reminded you to switch your load to the dryer!)

Since A has been over the road, I will admit it is much easier to keep a tidy house. There is less laundry, less meals to clean up, less messes that magically appear when I am out of the house, making it more attainable to keep our home orderly. Which makes this momma very happy.

To be honest, my husband and I rarely fight. I do not want to brag but we are a pretty darn good team. But nights when I would come home from working late shifts to find the house that I had just cleaned the day before was now strewn with hot wheels and play-doh and dinner still sitting out on the stove, made me want to start a fight. This is seriously one of the only things I feel like fighting with my other half about. Although, now that he is gone Monday-Friday this issue is pretty much obsolete now. Do not take this the wrong way, I much rather would have a messy house and have A home every night.

Anyways, with A being out of the house I have more time to spend on organizing my home. I have started keeping a daily agenda to help keep me motivated and on-track with my routine. This daily agenda is the start of a "Family Organizer/Binder" to keep our family and home more organized.

I call my daily agenda "Daily To-Doodles" and all I did was use Word Processor to create and print a document that I could write down and organize my day with. On the document I included areas to list specific cleaning and chores that need done, personal goals I want to accomplish, meal planning, appointments, an area to list tomorrow's obligations, and I also listed a check-off list of things that need done everyday.

 

My check-off list of "Dailies" include, make beds, feed cats, dirty laundry, unload/load dishwasher, wipe counters, take out trash, quick sweep, bills, quick tidy ups, and of course my daily call to my trucker!

After editing my document many times and getting it just right to fit my needs, I printed off two copies. Like always, I was out of color ink, so to spice things up I added some color with highlighters.

 I then placed them in page protectors*. This allows me to use a wet-dry-erase marker to write directly on the page protector so I do not have to waste paper by printing it off everyday.

 

This "Daily To-Doodles" sheet has really helped me stay organized and keep me on a routine. Not only am I a happier person in a clean home but C is always in a better mood if we stick to a routine everyday.

When I figure out how, I will provide a PDF of my "Daily To-Doodles" for any of you who would like to use it!

How do you all keep your home running smoothly and organized? I would love input on this because it is an area of my life I struggle with. I would also love ideas of what to add to my Family Organizer/Binder!

*Creative Homemakers is the blog that I first got the idea to use a dry-erase marker on a page protector, although I think she used an ID badge protector, but right now I can not find that particular post.

Bojangle's

I can tell the week is half through when C starts playing with his 18-wheelers and talking about his Daddy truckin'. This morning I woke up and parked next to our bed right by C's pillow was three miniature 18-wheelers. He told me "This black one's my Dad's and this says his name!" pointing to the lettering on the side that really reads "Bojangle's"! He went on to tell me they were at a truck stop and had to eat french fries.

 

Earlier this week I found his 18-wheeler's parked at the fire station on his road-rug.  A parks his truck at the local fire-department on the weekends because there is not room at our home. Apparently C thinks this is normal and ANY and ALL 18-wheeler's must park at their local fire department! I found the fire-trucks parked at the Burger-joint.

 

The first couple days of the week without Daddy usually go smoothly in our home. C proudly announces to everyone he sees that "Daddy's on the road!".  Half-way through the week though, he starts talking about him more. He never cries or gets sad, just talks about him more than usual. Like last night, he wanted me to take him to the fire-station. He said to see his Dad and his truck. He does not quite get that his Daddy is not at the fire-station, that he takes his truck and drives a thousand miles each week away from home.

I hope to take him down to the fire-station to watch A pull-in and pull-out this weekend, maybe then he will understand better. I think we are both counting down the days and hours until our trucker comes home.

There's an App for that Review: Life 360

As I said last week, since A has been OTR for 5 months now I have been researching how to stay connected to him and ways to keep our relationship alive and exciting!

One of the ways we stay connected is through our smart phones (HOW ROMANTIC!? Ha ha!). A has an Android phone and I have an IPhone. There are many relationship building apps that maybe some of you other trucker wives never thought of using before, so I decided to review a few of our favorites for you! Last week I reviewed Avocado. I will review one app a week so keep checking back.

Life 360

Life 360 is a family locator app. This app gives you the ability through GPS tracking technology to know where everyone in your family is with a touch of a button.

When you sign onto the app it will take you directly to the Family Map. This shows exactly where each member of your family is on the map with a small picture of them. By clicking on their picture, it gives you more options.

The most important one is to receive Location History. By choosing this, it will show you down to the minute tracking information for where that person has been for the past 24 hours. This is very cool when you have an asphalt cowboy rolling across the USA!!

Another option is to request a Check-In. All this option does is send a message to the person of choice requesting them to "check-in" with their location. The last option is the receive point to point directions to the address where the other person is located. Its always nice to know exactly how many miles are between you and the ones you love!


 If you click on the menu, there are more options to choose from. Send private messages to those who are part of your circle. In addition, the "Places" feature is really neat. "Places" allows you to add certain points of interest to be notified when your family comes within 2 miles of that location. Right now, I have our home address set as one of the "Places". When my husband returns home and parks his truck, I get a text message notification that he is home...there is not a better feeling than receiving that text message!!

Many people may think this app is a little "creepy" or "stalkerish" but I think all you trucker-wives and significant others out there understand how great this app really is!

Life 360 is a free app and can be found on both Apple and Android devices! There is an option to upgrade to premium services for 5$ a month. With this upgrade you receive Roadside Assistance, ability to locate non-smart phones, unlimited places, 100$ phone protection, and expanded history location. Personally, for our use I believe the free version is more than enough!

Enjoy seeing everywhere your trucker travels with Life 360!

((I was not compensated or even asked to write this review, I simply wrote it for fun. If you do have a product you would like me to trial and review please feel free to e-mail me at RollOnMomma@gmail.com))

10 Tips for New Trucker Wives: Tip #1; Develop a Support System!

There is not much information out there about "How to be a Trucker-wife" or how to make this life easier on yourself and your family. It took a while after my husband started OTR to get a handle on things and to be content with this decision. At the time I had wished there was somebody there to give me advice in the beginning, maybe it would not have taken me so long to accept this life and to make the most of it!

So I decided to comprise a list of tips for new trucker-wives and how to handle the transition easier. These tips can also be useful if your significant other has any job away from home...not just trucking. I will post 1 tip a week until I have gone over all 10 tips! So keep checking back each week!

Here goes....the first tip in this series is...

Develop a Support System

The Free Dictionary describes a support system as "a network of facilities and people who interact and remain in informal communication for mutual assistance; a network that enables you to live in a certain style"

I can not think of anything more important than your own personal support system when living the lifestyle as a single wife. Personally, I can guarantee that this lifestyle would not be working for my family if it were not for those willing to help us when needed. I have wonderful parents and a sister, who, with no questions asked, are willing to jump in their car in the middle of the night if I asked them to. Not to mention they treat my son like he is their own.

 

The week my husband was supposed to get his own truck and start driving on his own, I wound up in the hospital. I was 12 weeks pregnant and woke up one morning coughing up blood. After a trip to the ER I found out I had a life threatening condition, multiple pulmonary embolisms (blood clots) in both lungs. I had a three night stay in the hospital and was off work on medical leave for 2 months.

 

I could hardly make it through the day. I spent most of my time on the couch and had to take daily naps because my energy was so depleted due to low oxygen levels and my heart having to work extra hard to make up for it. I could not even go grocery shopping without having to sit down. I also had numerous doctors appointments as a result, all while my husband had to be on the road because he started a new job and could not take any time off.

What happened was out of every body's control and completely unexpected. My mom and sister stepped in without being asked and helped me take care of my toddler, made sure I was eating right, took me to my doctor's appointments and even cleaned my house. Also, I am lucky enough that my husband's family lives close to us and are just as supportive. I really do not know what I would have done without these people in my life.

No matter how together you think you got it, there will come a time when you need your car jumped, you need plowed out of your driveway, or need somebody to take care of your child when he is sick while you are working. You can try your hardest, and probably do quite well for yourself, but eventually something is going to come up and you are going to wish you had somebody to rely on.

If you do not have family or friends near-by, try to make friends with your neighbors, or co-workers so you would feel comfortable asking them to help you with small tasks that you just can not do yourself. If you have reliable people in your life, when bad luck happens, its not really a catastrophe but just a quick call to a friend!

Who makes up your support system? Let us know with a quick comment and check back next week for Tip #2!

Daddy's Little Long Hauler

Today is just a short post.

First thing C did when he woke up was ask to wear "Daddy's Truckin' Shirt". Even though it was bought second hand and has a couple stains, C proudly wears it because it reminds him of his Daddy.

After he put it on he got his dump trucks out and loaded them up with monster trucks and said he had to haul them to Ohio. I think somebody is missing his Daddy today. Hopefully he will be home tomorrow.

What funny things has the trucker life instilled in your children? What do you do to help them cope with Daddy being away? Share your comments and ideas! I would love to hear from others!

There's an app for that review! Avocado

Since A has been OTR for 5 months now I have been researching how to stay connected to him and ways to keep our relationship alive and exciting!

One of the ways we stay connected is through our smart phones (HOW ROMANTIC!? Ha ha!). A has an Android phone and I have an IPhone. There are many relationship building apps that maybe some of you other trucker wives never thought of using before, so I decided to review a few of our favorites for you! I will review one app a week so keep checking back.

Avocado - Free

"Named one of the Best Social Apps of 2012 by The Next Web, Avocado was founded by a team of veterans from Google, YouTube, and Twitter who wanted to create beautiful and secure digital experiences for each couple everywhere."1

This app is created just for couples to stay connected! You can connect to one other person. Your significant other and yourself privately share a wall where updates and messages can be posted.

There are a few options when posting to your wall. You can choose to send a message, a photo, draw a picture, send or set your mood, choose from preset quick messages, or virtually send a "hug" or "kiss"! We have used this mostly to send messages and photos about our everyday life to keep one another in the loop. It is also fun and flirty to send a "hug" or "kiss" now and then just to let your significant other know you are thinking of them!

What is also great about this app is the list feature. Create up to 5 lists that are shared with your partner! This is great for to-do lists and grocery shopping so your partner is not surprised when you ask them to do something when they are home (in a perfect world my husband would just look at the lists and do the tasks, but I'm not that lucky!!) It is also good for husbands to post tasks that need completed during the week when they are away. This feature has really helped us keep up with household chores and repairs!

Another feature is a shared calendar! I can post my work schedule so A knows when I am working and that I probably will not answer the phone if he calls. I also put in my OB doctor appointments since A can not be there at least this way he feels like he is somewhat connected and can call and ask me how it went. In addition, if there are activities or errands that need to be done on the weekends when A is home I can post them to the calendar and he gets an alert and is reminded, therefore he knows what to expect on his days home!

 

This app is found both on Apple products and Android devices. It is a free app but you can unlock unlimited features for $19.99 a year, but in my honest opinion the free version is enough! Enjoy using your new app to stay connected to the trucker who stole your heart!

Check back next week for my next app review! If you and your significant other use your smart phone to stay connected let us know how by leaving a comment!

((I was not compensated or even asked to write this review, I simply wrote it for fun. If you do have a product you would like me to trial and review please feel free to e-mail me at RollOnMomma@gmail.com))

1. "Avocado: An App for Two." Google Play. Google, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.avocado.android&hl=en>.

He didn't marry a Stepford wife!

I have been scouring the web looking for "trucker-wife" information and advice. The more I look the more and more disgusted I get.

I think the trucker-husbands have all banded together and posted all over the Internet "1000's ways to please your trucker husband." There is information upon information about letting your husband relax and rest all he wants when he is home. Do not "over-whelm" him with responsibilities or tasks. Always cook him his favorite meals and have the house spic and span!

BEWARE!! Because if you do not follow these instructions, and you happen to ask your husband to take out the trash when he is home, you should definitely expect him to cheat on you and never EVER come home!

REALLY?!?! GAG ME WITH A BIG RUSTY SPOON!

I believe that a good man will continue to be a good man no matter his career choice. I have expectations of my husband. I expect him to be a father to our son. I expect him to take care of the things that I can not do when he is home. I expect him to treat me like a loving husband, even if the beds are not made or we are eating day-old pizza!

Men if you are reading this...you need to continue to be a husband and father, even if you are OTR! You need to take care of the things your wife can not do. You need to show your wife love and affection when you are home, because she is probably craving your attention. You need to take part in your children's lives and jump in and take over their routine.

Truckers! You need to realize your wife is home all week taking care of 100% of the responsibilities, chores, children, work, with little time for herself. You can not expect her to be waiting at the door for you, decked out in a 1950's dress, hair done up, holding an apple pie, in a perfectly clean house, with children down for a nap, ready to jump in bed. This is real life....and real life continues when you are gone and does not come to a halt when you get home.

Having said that, I hold myself up to high expectations as well. I expect myself to be a thoughtful and loving wife and mother. I expect myself to make our family-time enjoyable because we don't have much time together. I do this by trying my best to take care of chores and errands during the week so we have more time to spend together on the weekends. I TRY to cook a good home-cooked meal at least once that he can enjoy and take left-overs with him for the week. And I TRY to be in a good mood and overlook the small things and choose my battles wisely.

But this should be in every marriage. There's give and take in every relationship, not just in the trucking world. When my husband married me he knew I wasn't the best house-keeper and I'm horrible at taking care of a check book. These things are not ever going to change because of my husband's job.

If you have married a good, trustworthy, responsible, loving man, he will continue to be that person no matter your imperfections. You do not have to worry about lot lizards just because you forgot to unload the dishwasher!

Pregnancy Update: Week 24; Including your husband in your pregnancy.

Every weekend my hubby gets home he says he can not believe how much our toddler son AND my belly have grown. It has really started to pop which is very exciting and reassuring knowing our new little girl is growing like she should!

I can tell it hurts A. being away and not being able to experience this pregnancy like he did with our son. He never missed an appointment during my son's pregnancy but this time he has not been able to make it to one appointment.

There are a few ways that I have tried to keep him in the loop this pregnancy...

1. Sent him pictures of my growing bump
2. Called him after every appointment and updated him on everything
3. Video recorded via my IPhone parts of the ultrasounds to send to him
4. Sent "100,000 Baby Names" book with him in the truck
5. Let him touch my belly when he is home (even though I hate it because I feel self-conscious)

If there are any other trucker-wives going through pregnancy alone send me a message or leave a comment! I would love hearing from another person going through the same thing and exchange ideas of how to keep your husband included in your pregnancy!

Saying Goodbye

Another weekend has come and gone too soon. Time for A to get loaded up and head down the highway again.

Saying goodbye never gets easier. No matter how many times he walks out the door, I always blink away tears. For his and C's sake, I never shed a tear...it will just make it harder on all of us if I did.

I remember the first time I sent him off. I had to take him to the bus station to catch a bus to the training facility for the company he was hired to drive for. He would be there two weeks. It was the first time in probably 8 years that we would be apart for that long.

I got back in the vehicle after saying our goodbyes and thank goodness C was in the backseat because I could hardly hold it together. My eyes blurred over and even though my sister-in-law had ridden along I drove back home in silence.

I was afraid to be home alone, wondered if I would be able to handle everything at home and work a full time job AND take care of C. It did not help matters that we found out we were expecting #2 (Surprise!) just a week before he left. I was an emotional wreck. How was I going to do this alone?

The next morning I woke up, got myself and C ready for me to go to work, pulled out of the driveway, realized I had a flat tire, backed it up...RIGHT INTO A DITCH!

Now what was I going to do? I could have had an emotional breakdown, I could have called my husband in tears saying it was all a mistake and he needed to come home, and believe me I thought about this more than once and he would have listened.

Instead, in the snow, only wearing thin scrubs, 6 weeks pregnant, I went back inside, pulled out the huge air compressor, found an extension cord that reached to my vehicle that was up the road a little ways, filled up my tire, got myself out of the ditch...and made it to work on time.

I was going to be okay.

Saying good-bye never gets easier, but it becomes routine, and one day your eyes forget to well up and life rolls on...