Passenger Side

I may not be currently employed, however; there are thousands of women across America with the same jog title; a truck driver's wife. I know there are some of you that may say this is not a job, but I beg to differ. I grew up around big trucks, as my daddy was a truck driver, but I never really understood what wives and other family members went through because I was so little and all I knew was daddy was going to work and he would be back in a few days. My mother would keep things going at home while my dad was on the road and I remember him calling every night, talking with me and telling me he missed me very much. As a kid, I would tell him I loved him too then hand the phone back to my mom and run off to play.

Several years have passed since then and I am now and adult, married to an over-the-road truck driver. Now I know what my mother went through. All those long ,lonely nights hoping for a phone call, trying to sleep and then get up each morning to get the kids fed and off to school before heading to work herself. My mother did this for many years without so much as a complaint, well I'm sure she did complain, but I imagine she kept it just between her and my dad, not wanting to upset my brother and I.

Things are a lot different nowadays, most truck drivers carry cell phones, so they are able to keep in contact with their loved ones more often. My mother never owned a cell phone, so she never had that luxury. She always stayed strong and did her best to be the role of mother and father while my dad was away working.

I can say, being a truck driver's wife has at times been a struggle for me, especially around the holidays. The company my husband works for tries their best to have their drivers home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there are times that is not possible, due to weather conditions in the state my husband may be in at the time. There has been a few holiday's he has almost missed because of extreme weather conditions and road closures. I don't know how, but he has managed to always make it home. I know I would be too scared to drive in some of the weather he has been faced with.

Along with possibly missing holidays, I remember many other occasions he has had to miss due to being over-the-road. Sadly, he has missed birthdays, anniversaries and even the birth of our precious grandchildren. It upsets him that he has missed these important moments, but he climbs into that semi everyday to do what he can to provide for his family, and for that I am truly proud!

I know it's my husband who is out there following the white line on a weekly basis and I am at home. He is the one with the job, but it can get hard for me at home as well. I lay awake at night, wishing he was with me, but his side of the bed is empty. I would love for him to be able to have a local job where he is home every night, but that would mean a big pay cut and there are bills to pay. So, just like all the other truck drivers wives out there, I am at home, waiting on phone calls and the day he gets to come home for a few days.