Team Pence

Gorgeous Day

2010-03-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day we had today as we drove across Arkansas, Oklahoma and now the Texas panhandle. The temperature was in the high 60s and the sun was shining bright. The promise that spring, followed quickly by summer, will become a reality fostered hope in me that these old bones will dry out and warm up eventually.

The Lord has blessed us so much in our travels as we've tiptoed through and around all of the major storms thusfar, suffering only a few short segments of time where ice and snow got the upper hand while we drove. I am so looking forward to the changing of the seasons so that the scenery we are seeing now clothed in winter garb, will soon display the new growth and colors that accompany the spring season. The sunrises and sunsets seem to already be ramping up for the unfolding of spring and summer. I heard a trucker say today, "Well, if you've seen one sunset, you've seen them all." It made me sad. Will I become jaded to this kind of majesty? The sunset we watched play out its entire life before us over Texas tonight took my breath away. I hope that each sunrise and sunset I witness will leave me breathless for a very long time to come.

Statue of Liberty

2010-03-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

We picked up a load from Jersey City, New Jersey this morning. While the trailer was being loaded Shannon and I walked to a bluff overlooking the harbor where the Statue of Liberty is located. Even though we could only get pictures from her "backside" it was still a real thrill to actually see her in person. The frustration with driving truck is that we can't take opportunities like these to visit and explore. The ferry that you board to take to Ellis Island was less than a mile away but we didn't have the time or anyplace to "store" or anyone to "babysit" our truck and trailer to take advantage of it. We have so many places we want to come back to and spend time at, but it will have to wait until we have a vehicle that is smaller than our present setup.

Dangerous Profession

2010-03-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

I now realize how true it is that as an adminstrative assistant, the most dangerous part of my job, was actually getting to work in my car. I've been amazed at how many accidents we've witnessed or driven past in the few months we've been sitting in this big rig. Last Thursday, just outside of Flagstaff, AZ, where the wind was blowing fiercely, we witnessed a construction site trailer (not much weight involved) being pulled by a semi truck, just blow over. When we drove past, the wheels were still turning on the trailer. The truck was heavy enough not to have followed suit and the trailer wasn't heavy enough to pull the truck over with it, either.

Today we were stopped on I-40 in New Mexico for about an hour. The reason we discovered as we drove past it was a car had gone through the guardrail and rolled down an enbankment, killing the driver. I'm not sure why the police did this but they just left his body on the road, without covering him with anything. The image will remain with me for a very long time, I think.

This is a dangerous profession. Last year at Watkins-Shepard, they had three "suicides by semi" where a car ran head-on into one of their semis. One semi driver died because of this, all of the suicide drivers succeeded in their destruction quest. It doesn't seem fair to be used as a tool for their means to their end.

Falling asleep at the wheel is the most prevalent reason for accidents. This is what I worry about. It only takes one day of having trouble sleeping and you don't have the opportunity to make up the sleep. Falling asleep behind your computer is one thing, which I've done before as an admin, but if you fall asleep behind the wheel of these creatures you may not get a chance for a "do over."

Shannon and I are doing better at sleeping while the other is driving, but it is still hard, and I think it always will be. There are some roads we drive on where the entire cab feels like it is going to shake apart and trying to sleep during those times I've found to be almost impossible. I like to think that we have a special kind of protection, though. I have an image in my head of several angels riding on top of our rig, hanging on to the sides, and maybe there is room for one inside the cab who help us keep it all together. I'm not saying that we shouldn't do all we can to be professional drivers, but I do believe that as children of God, just as human parents try to do whatever they can to protect their children, God will keep us safe as we drive the 20,000 plus miles each month, at least until our number of days on earth has been fulfilled, and we join Him in heaven. What a day that will be.

Callie Grace Pence

2010-03-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Our youngest granddaughter has been officially diagnosed with cerebral palsey. It isn't a surprise to us or her parents, we've known that this was probably the case for quite some time now but some how having it "official" made my heart skip a beat or two. I was in the operating room when Callie Grace was swiftly and abruptly brought into this world almost two months premature. She wasn't breathing and the doctors and nurses worked frantically on this 3 pound miracle for quite some time. Even my daughter-in-law's anethesiologist left her side to try and assist with Callie's respiratory needs. Finally, after what seemed to me to be an eternity, Callie Grace's lungs filled with air and she let out that cry that said to all who heard it that she wanted her opportunity to live and make her mark on this world.

Cerebral palsey is caused by bleeding in her brain at birth, probably a very simplified explanation for something complex. There are many different kinds and severity of CP. At this point it looks as though Callie's issues are centered on her lower extremities. She is over two years old and only walks with the aid of a wrap-around walker. The doctor predicts she will walk on her own and eventually may even be able to run, but he also said she would probably always have a little "swagger" to her gait as many people with CP have.

So, officially, she is handicapped. That word hit me hard. I have never thought of Callie as handicapped. I had to think hard about what it meant to be handicapped. Sure, it will take her longer to learn to walk and you may always be able to tell that her body doesn't function fully as intended, but handicapped? Hardly! Callie Grace's will to keep pace with her siblings is a strong motivater for her to keep trying. Callie will succeed in whatever she wants to do because she will have learned at such an early age that not everything comes easy. That there are more roads than one that lead to the desired destination. That trial and error is a friend and a foe. That disappointment is the resting point before trying it all again, and again, and again. And try again she does and will. Her body, which when you remember will only encase her spirit for a blink of an eye, will not hold her captive forever with its limitations.

Callie Grace, handicapped? Don't you believe it! Not for one minute.

Simple Pleasures

2010-02-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

I was thinking today that my life has come down to some very simple pleasures.

Taking a shower - even if it is at a truck stop where you receive a free shower for every 50 gallons of fuel you purchase. They provide one towel and a small bar of soap for your shower. I try very hard not to think about what, where, or with whom that towel has spent time with and try to convince myself I'm the first to use it.
Eating at a restaurant whose name doesn't include the word "buffet," or advertises that if you can eat the 72 ounce steak, you get it FREE.
Watching the sun wake up in the morning or go to bed at night.
Park the truck and trailer perfectly between the parking lines, in front of all the other drivers.
Having a group of construction workers whistle, wave and flirt with me as I drive past them.
Making good friends with fellow drivers at Watkins Shepard.
Having a great conversation with my best friend and co-driver.
Getting a chocolate/vanilla swirl ice cream cone at the Little America truck stop in Flagstaff, AZ.

Some Things I Just Don't Understand

2010-02-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

Why do people who say they are homeless and have no money for food and gas, drive to a rest area and sit outside the restrooms begging for money for "food and gas"?
Why do some drivers who are trying to merge onto a freeway drive along on the entrance ramp, seemingly oblivious to everything around them, until they "happen" to look in their side mirror and see that an 18-wheeler is off there rear bumper (meaning that the car is literally out in front of our rig) slam on their brakes, run in circles, scream and shout?! All they needed to do was to push on that slender pedal on the right, increase their speed (not by much really) and MERGE WITH TRAFFIC! IT IS UNBELIEVEABLE THAT SOMETHING SO SIMPLE BECOMES SO COMPLICATED AND DANGEROUS. WHO GAVE THESE PEOPLE LICENSES ANYWAY? HAS ANYONE EXPLAINED THE MEANING OF THE WORD 'MERGE'? ARGH!!!!!! Oh, excuse me, I digress.
Why does my body decide that it needs a bathroom after we just passed the last rest area in the world?
Why do we drive past a hundred rest areas during the day and when we're looking for a place to pull over and get some shuteye every rest area we pass says "no overnight parking allowed" or "no trucks allowed"?
Why do we drive past every restaurant imaginable and I dream of which one we'll be able to visit when we next stop for fuel and dinner -- and then the only places to eat are McDonalds or Subway?
Why does the truck breakdown just when we're getting in ahead of our delivery time and anticipating a full night of sleep or seeing a movie or doing anything except sitting in our truck?
Why does the weather turn icy and snowy when I'M DRIVING!
Why can't I figure out what day it is? What timezone we're in? What city we're in? What state we're in? What gear I'm in? What gear I'm suppose to be going to? How to get in or out of a truck stop? What's the speed limit? What I'm doing out here?
Why, oh, why, do we always enter or leave Los Angeles during rush hour?

Yesterday

2010-02-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Although everyday that I get up I know that with the good Lord willing a good part of the day will be comprised of driving the truck, almost everyday holds a surprise or something unexpected to our normal routine of driving, driving, driving. Yesterday was such a day.

We woke up at 5:30a in Missoula, MT, where we had spent the night (well, we arrived at 1am and got up at 5:30am, is that a night?). I was driving us in to Spokane, WA to the Watkins terminal for a partial unload. We arrived in Spokane at 8am, right on the dot, got unloaded without any problem. Then Shannon noticed that our air supply gauges were indicating we were losing air. Without enough air pressure in the system, our truck doesn't move, literally - it will lock down its brakes in both the truck and trailer if we get below a certain air pressure, and it isn't a respecter of location, it will lock down in the middle of the freeway, going around a corner, or pulling out onto a thoroughfare. So, needless to say, it was a problem that needed to be fixed.

We stopped at a Flying J truck stop just a couple of exits into Spokane and called our main shop in Missoula. Fortunately Watkins does business with a repair shop just a couple of blocks from that truck stop - coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences - so we limped the rig up to Leland Truck Repair on Broadway. Shannon began talking with several guys there and between all of them they finally figured out that we had a leaking turbo wastegate actuator and it would need to be replaced. Watkins approved the repair and the guys went to work on replacing it. The man who actually did the work on the truck was young and such a friendly guy and even though he had all kinds of problems with the job itself, couldn't get the old part out, dropped the new part and it rolled halfway under the truck, made about 20 trips into the shop for a different tool or whatever, didn't have the right hose clamp to complete the job, etc., but when he was all done he beamed. He was so proud of himself. I was just happy to have met this guy with his good nature and determination to get the job done.

Halfway during the day Shannon and I walked back up to the Flying J and had lunch where we met Jodie. It was hard to tell how old Jodie is but I would bet that she's worked at the Flying J for a very, very long time. She seemed to personally know everyone who entered the door, or in our case, she made us feel as though we were old friends. She is a waitress but she was more than that. I would imagine that if we would have gone to her home she would have treated us the same way, as though we were honored guests. You just knew that Jodie was genuine, this wasn't just a "job" to her. She wrapped herself in a cloak of friendliness.

Since the repair took all day, we didn't roll into Portland, OR until 12:45am today. It was a long day but I'm thankful to God for bringing these two people into our lives, even for the briefest of time.

Our Grandson, Cameron Michael Foltz, Turns 11 on Sunday, Feb 21!

2010-02-20T20:10:00.000-08:00

Our grandson, Cameron, has always had a unique way of saying things and so on his birthday I want to dedicate this blog to him...

Cameron talked very early, I can't remember how early, but way before he was two years old. I had a large Playskool boat that kids were suppose to use as a rocker and pretend they were on water. Cameron had spent the night and the next morning he dragged this boat into our bedroom and said, "Grandma, boat's go in the water." I said, "Yes, most boats do, but not this one." Cameron repeated, "Grandma, boat's go in the water." "Cameron, yes I know, but this is a pretend boat and we just pretend that this is in the water." This back and forth conversation went on for several more minutes when I thought he'd given up, until we got up to find him out on the back deck trying to put this boat into the kiddy pool out back. When we discovered him, he just looked at me and said, "Grandma, boat's go in the water!"

When Cameron was only 2 years old, as Steve's parents and Shannon and I sat around a beautifully set Thanksgiving dinner table at Steve and April's home and there was a lull in the conversation, he announced to everyone that "My daddy has ruined my mommy's life." Stunned silence followed for a few seconds, followed by the sputtering of April saying, "I have no idea where he came up with that one," and wave after wave of laughter.

At that same age of two, Cameron was looking at a globe and slowly turning it and then pointed his finger to a country in the Middle East and said, "This is Iraq." The only thing we could come up with is that he must have seen a map of the country on TV news or something, but it was certainly unexpected from a two year old.

One time when Cameron was maybe three years old and he and I were shopping in Albertsons, Shannon came up and tried to scare him by whispering in his ear. Cameron didn't bat an eye, just turned his head and looked at his grandpa and said, "Grandpa, you de man!"

One day Cameron, his mom and his Grandma Carol were riding in the car and his mom mentioned that a gift store was open everyday except Christmas. Minutes went by when all of a sudden Cameron burst out with, "That makes me so mad!" "What?" asked his mom. "That store! What do they have against Christmas!" His mom explained that it meant that they were closed in honor of Christmas. Cameron just said, "Oh."

A couple of summer's ago, Cameron's dad showed Cameron what a "burn off" was, as Steve smoked the tires of their vehicle. The next day, Cameron was with his mom at a garage sale run by a couple of little old ladies, when one of the ladies said to them, "Nice day." Cameron replied, "Nice day for a rip-off!" His mortified mother asked him what he thought he was doing saying something like that. Cameron said he thought that's what his dad had done the day before. His mom said, "Cameron, that's a burn-off, not a rip-off!"

So, Happy Birthday, our precious and wonderful grandson! From the G's.

New England States Are Beautiful

2010-02-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

We spent the last couple of days in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia. We picked up a load of doors in Bristol, PA. This town was established in 1681 with streets to prove it. Making our way down the narrow streets of Bristol was quite an adventure and a testimony to Shannon's driving ability. Garbage trucks moved out of the way for us, homeowners came out to move their vehicles up a few inches, children loved seeing a big rig try to maneuver under powerlines and past trees limbs threatening to knock off our antennaes and side mirrors. It was great fun - especially since I wasn't driving!

The homes in the northeast are straight out of the Better Homes and Garden magazine. It isn't hard to imagine Betsy Ross sitting on one of these large porches in the cool of the evening sewing on something or other, kids running up and down kicking a leather ball, much like the group of kids we saw, only their ball was plastic. I couldn't take pictures fast enough as first one house and then another that was even more quaint than the one before appeared. I suppose if you live here you forget that you are living in the middle of "history" but to me, it is like stepping back into time and I'm like a kid on Christmas morning. As I've said before the agony for me is not being able to stop and explore but maybe that will come later when Shannon and I can see this same country again from the front seat of our truck and camper.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. They are not the best because we have to take them on the move, but I hope you get a flavor of what we're getting to see along the way.

Am I Cursed or Blessed?

2010-02-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

Shannon and I are seriously wondering if I'm cursed or blessed because everytime I get behind the wheel anywhere in the country where the weather has the slightest potential for ice or snow, a blizzard blows our way and I, the most inexperienced driver of the two of us, is stuck driving this 18 wheel, 80,000 pound beast down a snow and ice covered freeway lane that increasingly becomes narrower and narrower as the snow covers the lines and driving by braille becomes my standard operating procedure as the rumble of the tires running over the little "turtles" are the only way I have to confirm that the rig is anywhere close to where it should be. Shannon says I'm blessed because I'm getting the experience needed to become a #1 rated driver in all conditions. I say cursed because everytime I go through one of these excruciating tense and stress-filled driving sessions, I lose 10 years off my already too short life as it is! I've added a video to the slideshow of some of the conditions I spent hours driving through on Valentine's Day. As of this writing, Shannon says he has a Valentine's card for me but we've been too busy to actually get the card in my hand. It wouldn't have done much good for Shannon to give it to me yesterday because I would have been too tired to open it. There's always tomorrow!

Roads - You Can't Live With Them, You Can't Live Without Them

2010-02-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

We've been driving for a few months now, Shannon for over 6 months, and we've both decided that there are some states that must be using their highway dollars for other things. Governor Schwartzenegger, what are you spending your highway funds on? It is not I-5 repairs, let alone any improvements! There are stretches on I-5 where I wonder if this Freightliner truck will have any pieces left in place. Everytime we drive between Modesto and LA parts and moldings come loose or fly off from inside the truck and we have to put everything back together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Another state on our, "Oh, know, we have to drive through that state again!" list is Oklahoma. Wow, talk about some bad roads in desparate need of repairs! I can almost understand Oklahoma's road condition because of their winter weather and they don't have the tax base like California does. Unfortunately, it doesn't change the fact that driving through the state leaves you feeling like your an overshook milkshake!

A different driving challenge we've encountered is in the Northeast states where roads were built during the time of horse and buggy and even though modern cars can maneuver through the towns and villages, driving a semi and trailer through them can be quite challenging! At one corner, Shannon had just an inch or two of clearance before we took out an old street sign, probably something that had been there since the town's inception. That's not something I want to be known for as the team who destroyed a historical landmark in a quaint, little Northeastern hamlet! I don't know how solo driver's do this kind of thing. I was hanging out the window, yelling instructions back to Shannon, while cars were backing up and trying to get out of our way, probably "tsking" and saying, "what do these people think they are doing?" These are the same people who are yelling at their local carpet store because their special order carpet hadn't been delivered yet -- because it was on the trailer of the rig they had to back up for! Actually, the large majority of people are more than happy to try to accommodate us and are very nice about any inconvenience we put them through.

Right now we are on a very nice stretch of highway in southern California, heading for the Arizona border, on our way to New Jersey! We hear there are storms in the midwest and we're praying for God's safety for us. We're suppose to have this shipment of clothes to Totowa, New Jersey by Monday afternoon. We will need to drive non-stop to make our delivery time.

Love to all.

Is There Anything Better Than Lunch With Friends? Yes, when they are Family, too!

2010-02-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

Just met Jeff and Lori Jones for lunch at the Flying J in Ripon, CA. What a great time we had talking about trucking, family, hopes and dreams, and, oh, yes, trucking. Jeff and Lori drive semi for the government - I could tell you their route but then I'd have to kill you - and it just so happened that our trips intersected today so we could take a few minutes to stop and have lunch together. I hope we can do it again real soon. They are such a fun couple and we have a lot of things in common. By the way, they are interested in promoting the "simple life" - going back to basics, living off the land, raising your own food supply, alternative power generation, etc. They have been doing a lot of research on a myriad of relative topics that I found so interesting. I wish we would have had more time to talk but we both had pickups and deliveries to make. Even though our time together was too brief, it made our day and I count it as one of those enjoyable and unexpected surprises that can happen in the life of a trucker.

A Door is A Door, Right? WRONG!

2010-02-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Who knew that when we picked up an empty trailer in Spokane, WA yesterday that it would cause us sooo much trouble. Recently Watkins-Shepard acquired several trailers from a furniture terminal on the east coast. Some of these trailers have a "roll-up" door instead of the "barndoor" style of doors in the back. After driving approximately 120 miles from Spokane to Lewiston, ID, where we were suppose to drop our trailer and hook up to an already loaded one, we were informed by the yarddog (person who moves trailers around at a shipper's lot) that they wouldn't accept our empty trailer because it had a roll-up door. WHAT? Who ever heard of that? Well, obviously newbies like us hadn't.

We called our dispatcher and was told that we had to drive the empty trailer back to Spokane, pick up one with the right kind of doors, if they had any available (which they didn't earlier in the day, hence why we had this different kind of trailer), and then drive all the way back to Lewiston to make our "drop and hook." Shannon and I had limited amout of sleep for the past few days and we were looking forward to a good night of sleep and then all of this happened. Needless to say I was a little "perturbed" by this intrusion on our evening plans! When we were at hometime, my daughter-in-law asked me what a "typical" day was for us. I didn't know what to say, because every day is unique - some good, some bad. Yesterday did not fall gracefully into the "good" category.

We did the only thing we could, we turned the truck and trailer around and drove the 120 miles back to Spokane, dropped and hooked a new trailer (fortunately, they had unloaded a couple of trailers in our absence), turned around and drove the 120 miles back to Lewiston, ID. We finally got to bed around 1:00am. It is now 11:30am on Tuesday and we're on our way to Modesto, CA. Yesterday is quickly becoming a faded memory and we're just wondering what new adventures will be coming our way today.

Billboard Heaven

2010-02-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

We're in "billboard heaven" as we travel through South Dakota. The billboards for Wall Drug began showing up at least 300 miles from their promised destination. Mount Rushmore, Casey's Cafe's BEST BURGERS, Al's Oasis Restaurant, hotel after hotel, and did I mention Wall Drug, Wall Drug, Wall Drug? There are Wall Drug billboards as far away as China and an obscure as in The Netherlands and all around the globe. If you lined up all the Wall Drug billboards on I-90 alone they would measure 500 miles according to their website. If you've never read the Wall Drug story it is well worth the time to do so. The story of this family-run business is inspiring and a true example of American creativity and "roll up your sleeves" can-do entrepreneurship that this country was built on (http://www.walldrug.com/t-history.aspx). Which reminds me, if you missed Sarah Palin's speech to the first ever Tea Party convention in Nashville, TN last night, you missed a good one! Don't believe everything the left-wing media is saying about her. Listen for yourself and make up your own mind. I've added a link in my blog listing to YouTube where you can listen to the speech in full (you have to sit through a commercial before Sarah comes on though, so don't give up). Geraldo Rivera is interviewing her for one hour tonight on the Fox network. She actually had the gall to say that what Anerica needed was leaders who actually admitted that they didn't have all the answers and that they should call upon our Creator for help and guidance. About this time, I nearly jumped out of my seat, but I was driving so thought that wouldn't be a good idea. I think she is the real deal and if we don't rise up to support her we will live to regret it as a nation - in my humble opinion.

On our way to Charleston, TN, our alternator finally gave up the ghost and we limped "Clifford" into Gallup, NM using battery power only. Watkins-Shepard paid a hefty $500 to have it replaced, but Shannon had been telling our shops from Dalton to Missoula that something was wrong with the alternator. They kept focusing on the batteries, which needed replacing, too, but the alternator has had a problem for months but because we could never get anyone to test it under load, they kept assuming that the problem remained with the batteries. Anyway, Clifford is back up to running and Shannon and I are very happy that we don't have to "hold our breath" and pray that the truck doesn't quit on us when we get sent to the colder regions of the country.

I've had some interesting experiences since being back behind the wheel over the past week. There was one day when I drove for 8 hours through fog - no kidding! Driving through Oklahoma and all of Tennessee, visibility went from anywhere from 1/4 to a 1/2 mile - ALL DAY LONG. It was a stressful drive and one I don't want to repeat none too soon. Earlier on the trip, while driving through an ice storm between the borders of Arizona and New Mexico, we passed several semis that had "lost it" and tipped over, spewing their cargo all over the roadside. There was a Fedex double trailer that had split apart and packages were everywhere. As I drove up on yet another accident, I slightly touched the brake to slow down to change lanes and the truck and trailer began sliding. I think I took a good year off of Shannon's life as he sat there helpless to do anything about it except to yell, "Don't use the brake, don't use the brake!" Fortunately, the words of my husband and my instructors at Watkins Shepard sunk in, and with the good Lord's help, I was able to bring the truck and trailer back into alignment and slow down to be able to make my lane change. It was the scariest experience I'd ever had behind the wheel of "Clifford!" That is until a couple of nights later.

Shannon was laying down trying to get some shut-eye and I was driving. We were on I-24 in Tennessee so we had two lanes heading west. Everything was normal and I could hear some light trucker chatter in the background but I wasn't really listening. About that time I looked farther up the road and thought, "what am I seeing?" It was a set of car headlights coming toward me. "No, that can't be, the interstate must turn so it must be an optical illusion." About that time, a voice on the CB radio lit up and the driver was yelling, "Drivers, be aware, there is a 4-wheeler headed east in the hammer lane of the westbound I-24!" That's right - a car, driven by what I can only imagine was a thoroughly intoxicated person, was traveling the wrong way on the freeway, and he/she was headed right for me. I held my lane and started to slow down as the drunk driver fortunately held his/her lane and passed me on the left. Just as he/she passed I blew my airhorn trying to awaken the person to the fact that they were in mortal danger, but the driver never reacted, never put on the brake, and headed right for the traffic that was following me. As I watched in my mirrors, I saw the driver slowly move over into the other lane, which was also occupied by another semi, barreling down on the car at freeway speeds. Just before I went over the crest of a hill where I wouldn't be able to see anything more, I saw the driver of the car pull over onto the shoulder, narrowly avoiding the semi, but not once did I ever see the car's brake lights. I have no way of knowing what happened but I do know that I never, ever want to experience that close of an encounter with such an idiot again. The next day Shannon and I prayed for that person, though, and asked God to send some help for him/her before they killed themselves or a van full of innocent children. DRINKING AND DRIVING IS INSANE!

I've added lots of pictures from our hometime and the past week of driving on the slideshow. I hope you enjoy them! Talk to you again real soon.

We're Back

2010-02-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, we're back on the road and I have been amiss at updating our blog. I wish I could say I had some great and wonderful reason for not doing so, but the honest truth is I've been depressed, tired, sick and just really sad. I miss not being a part of our kids' lives so much. Everytime we go home I get a taste of what we're missing out on and it takes me at least a week to get control of my thoughts and emotions again. This last visit was also punctuated with a trip to the Evergreen Breast Center for a follow-up mammogram since my annual exam indicated there might be a problem. They decided a biopsy was necessary and that was also done during the week. It was a painful procedure that I certainly won't go into detail concerning but I've been trying to heal from that. I do thank God that the results were benign and everything is fine. It is amazing how early they can detect a problem so all of you ladies out there get your annual exams done without exception!

We're in Oak Grove, MO, and stopping for fuel on our way to Spokane, WA. It is my turn to drive so I am going to sign off for now, but will return to finish updating the blog as soon as possible. Love you all.

We're Home!

2010-01-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Just finished delivering our load at Kent, WA and on our way to the Lakewood Terminal! Yahoo, I am soooo happy to be home for the next week. I've downloaded new pictures to the slideshow. We'll be back again next weekend. Love to all.

Counting the Seconds Until We're Home

2010-01-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

Talked to Cameron last night and we started out saying, "I'm counting the days till we get home!" Cameron said, "I'm counting the hours!" I said, "We're counting the minutes!" He said, "I'm counting the seconds!" I said, "I'm counting the miliseconds!" We had to stop because neither one of us knew what came next. Needless to say we're anxious for our hometime. Shannon and I have been out on the road since November 29th. We missed Christmas in December but we're going to celebrate it once we get home. It won't be the same but it will have to do this year.

We'll be home sometime on Friday, January 22 to Friday, January 29th. We'll have to be back on the road on the 30th.

I never thought I took for granted the ability to see my children and grandchildren on a regular basis but I can tell you that now I cherish each and every moment I can be with them. I miss not being there on the weekends so that one, two or all seven of them could spend the night with us - Justice is still a little young to be away from mama, yet. I miss not sitting next to Cameron at church every Sunday morning for worship. I miss seeing all of my "adopted" grandchildren at AWANA every Wednesday and Sunday mornings (Karen, Matthew, Jonelle, Andrea, Joey, Abby, Steven, Promise, Anne Marie, and many others). I miss going out to eat on Sundays with our friends from church. I miss taking our grandchildren to the movies, or shopping, or out for ice cream. I miss dinners at our house with all the kids running in and out the back door, down to the basement to swing on the rings, running outside to play on the toys or catching moths or bugs. But I think the thing I miss the most are the hugs and kisses from all my munchkins!

Less than a day and we'll be home!

The Secret World of Trucker's Hand Gestures...Rated G

2010-01-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

In the world of trucking, people who drive regular passenger cars are called "4-wheelers," for obvious reasons. Now, 4-wheelers probably won't have experienced a "trucker's greeting" so I thought it would be fun to educate my 4-wheelin' buddies out there about this ancient and secret world of hand gestures that the trucker, or as they call each other "driver," hold only for their own.

How one trucker greets another trucker as you pass each other on the freeway or in a truck stop says a lot about that trucker. You have the trucker who gives you the "James Dean" wave where he touches his finger to his right eyebrow and then extends his right forefinger out. This trucker usually has his hair greased, maybe even ending in a ducktail, and the possibility that he rolls his pack of cigarettes into his t-shirt sleeve is better than 80%. Then you have the trucker that is just too tired to make the effort to move his hand from the steering wheel at all and he barely lifts a few of his fingers while still holding on to the wheel.

Some truckers like to point their finger forward as a wave, I guess to indicate that they know which way they're going. I've even had these truckers add a wink with this wave but I don't know if that is an added feature given to just female drivers or if they wink at the guys, too. Younger drivers have modified this wave a bit and extend two fingers in a peace sign and then wave the two fingers forward a couple of times. Maybe they are saying "Go in peace" but I think that might be giving them too much creative credit. Quite a few truckers will give you a modified kind of salute and I'm supposing that these might be veterans and so in my opinion they can wave anyway they want to because they have earned it.

If a trucker is wearing a baseball cap he or she might just tug down on the brim or some will even take the whole cap off and dip it down toward the steering wheel. If a cowboy hat is involved then you usually get the tipping of the front edge, either by moving just their head downward a little bit or they might extend their hand and touch the brim as they are tipping their head at the same time.

My personal style of wave is a modified "princess" wave where I place my hand up with all the fingers together, but instead of rotating it slightly from side to side, I freeze it in place until the other trucker has passed. But I think my favorite wave of all is my husband's. Shannon has no pretense about trying to be cool, he just waves with all his might. He wants the other trucker to know that he has seen him and he is saying "Hi, how are you? Are you having a great trip? Isn't it fun driving for a living?" My husband is the best and it is my privilege to share this experience with someone as transparent as he is.

So, 4-wheelers, you now have a little bit of insight into the secret world of trucker's greetings. Maybe some day, if you live right and eat all your vegetables, you might experience one of these rare exchanges between road jockeys and you'll be able to tell your grandchildren about it.

What are you going to do when your truck is being repaired? We're Going to Disneyland!

2010-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, we pulled into La Mirada, CA, to the Watkins Shepard shop with an armlong list of problems with "Clifford" our Big Red Truck. The most serious we thought was a worn head gasket that allowed dripping oil to drop on the hot engine and send fumes into the truck as we drove along but it turns out that wasn't our biggest or deadliest problem. The heater that runs independent of the truck running also had a problem and was spewing carbon monoxide fumes into our truck. We've felt sick off and on for the past month and now we know that God must have been watching over us. First on our list of items to install in the truck is a CO detector. I'm sure Shannon and I have lost some brain cells over this, and to be quite honest, we didn't have that many to begin with!

So, while the truck was being worked on we rented a Mini Cooper and drove all over LA for one day and then went to Disneyland the next. The Cooper is cute and quick and handles great, but I really didn't like being so close to the ground, after living in the upper stratosphere of a semi. After visiting Los Angeles countless times over the past 40 years, we drove Mulholland Drive for the very first time. The two to three miles that we covered consisted of s-curve switchbacks the whole way. The HOLLYWOOD sign can be seen from this roadway, as well as the Griffith Observatory, and a great view of downtown LA. Shannon had a blast driving the sharp turns in the Cooper - I held on and TRIED to keep my mouth shut. Didn't succeed. :{ There were several tour buses that stopped at the park where the HOLLYWOOD sign can best be viewed and the tour guides were telling stories about the stars who lived on Mulholland Drive but I could only catch partial sentences here and there so maybe next time we'll take one of the tours, too.

We drove around Sunset and Vine streets and I must admit that there are some very interesting people who call LA their home - VERY interesting. I will say no more because we are all God's children but I imagine that even God does a double take once in awhile.

Another first for us is we stopped at one of those big, elaborate miniature golf places in southern Cal and played a round of golf. I beat Shannon by only 1 point so it was a good, competitive game! We've driven by these places every time we've visited California and always said how much fun they looked like they would be but never, ever stopped. I'm so glad we did because we did have so much fun.

We ended the day at one of the huge theatres that southern California seems to be so fond of. We watched the best movie, "The Blind Side" with Sandra Bullock. Go see this movie - it is sooo good and it is based on a true story. Sandra Bullock does a knockout job in her role, but the boy who plays her son steals every scene he is in. Actually all of the actors did a superb jobs. The story is one of redemption and unconditional love and what can happen when your faith means more than sitting in a pew each Sunday. I don't believe there is any swearing in it and I would not hesitate to take my 9 year old granddaughters to see it and I believe they would understand and appreciate its story and meaning.

Yesterday we spent the day at Disneyland. I hope we never get too old to enjoy "the happiest place on earth." We did enjoy it, too! We rode all of our favorite rides - Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, the Matterhorn, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, and the Autopia. Shannon saw a girl in one of the Autopia cars talking on her cell phone and we had a good laugh about that. I was amazed at how many people were texting while standing in line next to their kids, or sitting down next to their kids, or walking along next to their kids...my point, instead of interacting with their kids they were texting to who? Who could be so important that you had to be texting them while you are at Disneyland with your kids? I don't get it. I'm probably showing my age but I really don't understand it. Okay, I'll get off my soapbox - oops, another age identifier.

Shannon and I splurged and ate at the Big Rodeo Roundup and although the $20 per person price made us gulp once or twice before we took the plunge, it was worth it. It is "all you can eat" family buffet style lunch (or dinner) of BBQ chicken and ribs, baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread. The ribs were to die for. They were so tender and the BBQ sauce was just the way I like it - not too spicy, not too tangy, and not too much. Every 30 minutes or so a trio of country singers played and sang to us, even strolling among the tables serenading us individually. I felt as though we got our monies worth and if you are going to eat at Disneyland, I think this is the best value - especially when you consider a cheeseburger, by itself, is $8.50. Of course the best value is to bring your own food and drinks.

We were wore out at the end of the day and thankful to get back to our home on wheels. Most of the items on our "fixit" list had been fixed, the oil smell is gone, and although we won't have our independent heater until we get the new part installed, we can at least keep the truck running for heat if we need it without getting asphyxiated by oil fumes.

We returned the Mini Cooper to the rental agency, picked up our new load from Rancho Dominguez in California, and we're headed to Jacksonville, FL for a delivery there at 8am on Tuesday morning. We have requested that we have hometime from January 23 through January 29th.

Pictures from our last couple of days are on the slideshow. The Lord has been so good to us and I just want to praise Him for giving us such good things to enjoy and not what we deserve. Love to you all.

Christians Are Not Perfect, Unfortunately

2010-01-11T21:04:00.000-08:00

It would be so much simpler if once a person accepted Christ as his/her personal savior that we would be made "perfect" in such a way that we would reflect our God "perfectly." That we would be to those we encounter here on earth a mirror image of our Lord. But Christians are not perfect and many times our reflection of our Heavenly Father is distorted because we are still growing in our faith and learning about the nature of God. Therefore, when Christ shines through us its usually through the cracks of our brokenness and humaness. Lately, I've talked to several people whose opinion of God has been warped by their encounters with people who identify themselves as christians. Unfortunately, as a result of these poor interactions they throw God out with the proverbial bathwater of religion.

Christians have such a great responsibility to reflect the true nature of God. There are so many hurting people who need God but because God falls under the heading of "religion" which they've already thrown out, they look for satisfaction from what the world has to offer, which is exactly what Satan had in mind all the time. How do we reflect the true God when we aren't perfect? The times when I felt I failed God the most by being more human than Christlike to someone, I've had to go back and ask forgiveness of the person on the receiving end. Humbling oneself has a redemptive quality that people seem to identify with and the relationship, in my experience, has been mended and usually becomes stronger.

So maybe that's the answer - learn as much as possible about the God we are to reflect, be aware of Satan's schemes, and when we mess up, mend it!

States in the Continental 48 We've Visited

2010-01-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

States (41)

We've Visited Since Becoming a Team

on November 11th

Washington

Oregon

California

Idaho

Montana

Utah

Colorado

Wyoming

Nevada

Arizona

Texas

Oklahoma

Kansas

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Ohio

Nebraska

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Pennsylvania

New York

Maryland

Rhode Island

Connecticut

New Hampshire

Massachusetts

New Jersey

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia

Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

Georgia

Florida

Alabama

North Carolina

South Carolina

States (7) yet to visit --

when it warms up!

North Dakota

South Dakota

Wisconsin

Michigan

Minnesota

Delaware

Maine

I Am Such a Whiner; My Husband is a Saint

2010-01-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

I knew I was a whiner before taking off on this new adventure, I just didn't know how much of a whiner I could be. I wish I could say that I have been the perfect helper to my husband and that as a "team" member I've carried my own weight, but in all honesty I have been a real bugger at times. Getting use to not being able to wash my hair and take a shower everyday, trying to provide nutritious meals, colddddddd weather, salt and grease from the road tracked into the cab, being with someone 24/7 who is sometimes a little particular about things :), and just trying to learn how to drive this monstrosity of a vehicle has unfortunately stretched me to my endurance and limit at times.

My husband has been a saint with putting up with my griping and complaining. He says he's use to it which just sets me off again! As if he's had a lifetime of my whining - can you imagine?! I hope I'm not unique in that I love the idea of the new adventures but when it comes down to the grit of putting up with the harder elements of this lifestyle, I am found lacking. I try to rely on the Lord to help me be strong during these times but my carnal side seems to win over every time.

This blog is a tribute to my husband who is the most incredible man I have ever met. He takes everything in stride and tries to protect me whenever he can. I will be forever thankful to the Lord for giving to me a man like Shannon!

Enough of the Cold Already!

2010-01-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

We went from 80 degrees in Los Angeles on Jan. 2nd to minus 15 degrees in Utah on Jan. 3rd (the lowest we got a picture of was -12). It's strange going from sandels in the morning to snowboots at the end of the day. Last night in Manooka, IL we took showers at the truck stop and by the time I'd walked back to the truck my hair was frozen and I couldn't get a brush through it until it had thawed! Then the power went out in our truck around 2am and by 3am the temperature was 12 degrees in the cab. You could see our breath inside the truck. The truck has a weird electrical problem and seems to present itself at the most inopportune times! It drives Shannon crazy because he can't figure out what causes it. The only thing that seems to be constant is that it happens when we've been bobtailing (truck without a trailer attached). But nothing really makes sense.

On Tuesday evening we met up with our good friend Matt for dinner at a truck stop in Las Vegas. Matt and I went through truck driving school together at Watkins. We had a great time talking and eating dinner together. But alas, no Dairy Queen Moolattes were available to us. Matt and I are Moolatte addicts. He was on his way to LA and we were on our way to Illinois. We never seem to run in the same direction. Matt is a uniquely special young man and he's become family to both Shannon and I. I hope to one day introduce him to my family back home.

We have seen some beautiful country the last couple of days so I'm uploading a new set of pictures into the slideshow. I hope you enjoy them.

My New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-02T21:57:00.000-08:00

I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions but upon reflection of the big changes that we made in our lives this year, I have considered making a few...

I resolve to smile as much as I can this year - life is too short not to.
I resolve to flirt more with my husband.
I resolve to spend less and save a lot more.
I resolve to only keep possessions that don't possess me.
I resolve to sing and dance more, even though I can't do either very well.
I resolve to do better at being God's hands and feet to those I come in contact with.
I resolve that my family and friends will know how much they mean to me in word and deed.
I resolve to make my earthly life count for eternal purposes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!

MAY GOD BLESS YOU BY DRAWING YOU CLOSER TO HIM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR!

Day Off in La Mirada, CA

2010-01-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

We had an unexpected day off today and spent it doing some of the things I like to do the most -- drinking coffee, eating, and going to a movie. Pretty sad, right? We were going to go to Knott's Berry Farm and then found out that they were closing early and we'd gotten a late start anyway, so we decided to bag it this time and plan on going the next time we have some free time in the LA area. But here are some pictures of the Farm at sunset as we drove by.

We had a day off because the loaded trailer we tried to pick up last evening was buried behind 15 other trailers in this shipping yard and there was no one there last night or today who could move these other trailers in order to get to the one we were suppose to pick up. Some freight companies are run better than others and this one was maybe the poorest we've encountered. When we called to make sure that they would be open so we could pick up our assigned load, Shannon as transferred at least 8 times before he got in touch with someone who could tell them, yes, they would be open. Well, they were open but apparently no one thought to bring our trailer to the front of the yard before everyone left for the New Year's holiday. Argh!

Oh, well, I really can't complain because we had a fantastic day just playing. We went to breakfast at IHOP, did you know that their orange juice is fresh squeezed with unlimited refills. Like I said, I learn something new everyday. Did I say they were important things?

We went to the new Sherlock Holmes movie. It was really good. It stars Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. It has Sherlock Holmes as a much more "physical" character than the traditional role portrays; Holmes and Watson get into a lot more fistacuffs than normal. I loved the way the movie laid out the deductive reasoning process of Holmes. It, too, was not done in the traditional manner. It did have a storyline concerning the occult which Holmes proved to be bogus, but its probably not something for kids under 15 or so to see.

Afterwards, we went to Marie Calendar's for dinner and pie. It was very, very good and I ate way, way too much.

We're hoping to get our loaded trailer tomorrow morning and then we're off to Las Vegas to meet our friend, Matt, who I went through school with and then on to Macys in Malooka, IL. We ended the day by having to witness yet another fabulous sunset...I hope I never get tired of seeing the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets that the Lord gives us to enjoy!

Some Days Are Better Than Others

2009-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

After spending 4 hours sitting and waiting and waiting for our trailer to be unloaded in Englewood, CO, we finally got to our next stop which was Budweiser at around 3pm. We picked up our loaded trailer and scaled it and found it was 160 pounds over the limit for our truck, which is 80,000 lbs. If your truck/trailer/load is over its legal weight you can be fined and given a ticket at weigh stations. Budweiser wouldn't take anything off the load so we called our home office and asked what we should do since we had a weigh station coming up within a couple of miles of leaving the Budweiser plant in Ft. Collins. They said to go ahead and chance it and see if they would give us a "grace" overage amount because we're also hauling a refrigerated trailer, with the refrigerator unit weighing quite a bit. So we said a prayer and asked God for some help and left. As we approached the weigh station and drove over the scales in the road we held our breath to see if we would get a signal transmitted to our onboard unit to, "pass on by - no need to stop" or "whoa, why don't you come see us." The pass-on-by signal came through and we let out a sign of relief and as we drove by the station, it appeared that they had just closed because there was a line of trucks in the lanes still waiting to be processed. We might have been the first truck to pass by after they closed. A coincidence? I think not! That was the good weigh station experience for the day.

Now, here's the bad. The next station in Colorado is located halfway up Lookout Mountain as you held toward Veil Pass (elevation 11,062 ft). I was driving and I was taxing every bit of my limited experience as the approach to Veil Pass consists of miles and miles of extremely steep upgrades and downgrades. The upgrades are so steep that with a fully loaded trailer the fastest ol' Clifford could go was 20mph. The downgrades were equally grueling because you are trying to maintain at a slow enough speed not to go careening off the mountainside and keep your rpms below 2000 at the same time. Did I mention it was snowing and compact ice on the roadway? Anyway, back to the weigh station. I drove over the scales and we held our breath again, but unfortunately, we received the signal that they wanted us to "come on in for a spell." So, I slowed down and prepared to exit the freeway but the signage for the weigh station exit wasn't clear. Unlike 99 percent of the weigh stations in the US who have their own designated exits, this particular weigh station used the exit for the town that was located right there. Oh, know! We sailed right on by the weigh station.

I didn't know what to do. Should I stop on the freeway and back down the on-ramp of the weigh station? Probably not a good idea. Should I take the next exit and turn around and go all the way down the mountain and back up again? Couldn't see doing that. We kept watching for sirens and red and blue lights in our mirrors but none appeared. So, after being on the road for a little over a month I'm already a criminal! We don't know what the consequences will be. Maybe Watkins & Shepard will get a notice of my infraction. I'll probably get put in prison for running from a weigh station. Do you think they can take my license? Oh, well, I'll keep you posted on this continuing saga. If I get sent up to the big house, can someone bake a cake with a file in it for me?

I forgot to tell you about the mass suicide we came upon last night as we were driving in Wyoming. We were heading into Laramie and noticed a semi pulled over to the side of the road so we slowed down to go around him. Just before reaching the semi we saw at least 4 deer, maybe even 5, that were laying dead on the shoulder. It looked as though this group of deer darted out in front of not only this semi we were approaching but we saw two other semis stopped further ahead. At least two of the semis had front-end damage, headlights broken, and a 3rd semi driver was examining the fuel tanks on his truck, as though a deer might have gone under and maybe did some damage in that location. It was all very sad!

We need to drive all night and have this load to San Diego by 2pm tomorrow. Like I said, some days are better than others!

4 Degrees is Just Too Cold!

2009-12-29T15:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, it was 4 degrees in the mountains of southern Utah last night as we made our way from Las Vegas where the temp was around 53 degrees to Salt Lake City. The last time I remember feeling that cold was when I was a child growing up in Danville, IL. My sister Becky and I had received new ice skates for Christmas one year. There was a favorite lake in town where you could skate and meet and talk with your friends from school. Horseshoe Lake was located right next to the hospital where Becky and I were both born. The smell of burning wood filled the air from small fires located at several little inlets around the lake. Skaters warmed themselves a bit before braving the chilly air and icy rude awakenings on their "bums" when one failed to make the turn or caught an edge on the sometimes choppy surface of the frozen lake or when one of the boys careened into you as they were racing with their friends. I can remember taking a deep breath and feeling as though every bit of moisture in my lungs had instantly frozen - something like a "brain freeze" when one has swallowed a particularly cold treat and you get that blinding pain between your temples. Well, that's how cold it was last night, which would have been okay if I'd gotten to go ice skating on Horseshoe Lake, but alas, no lake - no ice skates - and no time!

Another Blown Tire

2009-12-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

This is our 2nd blown trailer tire this month. The first happened on a freeway in downtown Los Angeles, and now this one on I-40 in New Mexico. When they blow it sounds like a muffled mini-bomb going off and as you can see from the picture it leaves a good-size hole in the tire. Apparently a piece of the tread flew off of this tire and sheared off our mudflap so we spent a few hours night before last getting the tire replaced and getting a new mudflap welded on. Did you know it's illegal to drive without mudflaps? I learn something new everyday.

Earlier in the day we were on I-40 about 50 miles from Oklahoma City. We had been seeing evidences of the big snowstorm that we'd only heard about previously on the Sirius weather station. We were hoping that the massive snow accumulations would have been "managed" by the time we got there and for the most part they were. However, the layers of ice on the roadway had not been. It was anyone's guess which lane you should be in as it seemed the right hand lane would be the most cleared for a period of time and then the "hammer" lane would be better. My belly jiggled like a bowl full of jelly (oops, too much information) due to the ride as we continously went from pavement to patches of 2-3" deep of ice patches. The freeway was busy with cars of families returning home from Grandma's house and 18-wheelers trying to get their cargo to the next destination as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the 4-wheelers didn't seem to fare very well as the pictures below indicate. If they began to slide on the ice I guess they would put on their brakes and that's all she wrote...they were in the ditch. There must have been at least 50-60 cars that were left-overs from the big storm and then fresh ones from that days lack of experience in driving. It was a little scary seeing all of these spin-outs all around us -- and YES, once again I was driving through the ice storm.

And then we ended the day with yet another beautiful sunset!

The Meaning of Christmas

2009-12-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

I'm finding that driving for 10 hours or sitting in the passenger seat for the same length of time you can liken yourself to Charles Dicken's Tiny Tim, "somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much..." and you find you now have the luxury of exploring to a deeper level many subjects that you may have only glazed over in the past. I'm ashamed to admit that the subject I'm referring to at this time is the meaning of Christmas. It's not that I haven't thought about the meaning before or that I've just had an epiphany that it is more than just presents, candy canes, or tinsel. I know that at the heart of Christmas is Jesus, pure and simple. Without Jesus at the center, the celebration has a God-shaped hole in it, just as a non-believer's heart has a God-shaped hole in it. Filling that void with presents or parties just leaves one deeper in debt or hung-over.

My "deeper" thinking has led me to believe that Satan is also at the heart of Christmas. Before you burn me at the stake, let me lay out my reasoning. Why did God choose a Christmas at all? He could have written off the human race as a lost cause and have been well within His creative rights to do so. If I don't like the way something I'm sculpting looks I pound my fist into it, twist the clay with my fingers with a little too much zeal due to the frustration I am feeling at the time, and just start all over again. Why didn't God do that to his human race? The obvious answer and probably the main reason is God's love for us. But I think that maybe another reason for Christmas has to do with Satan. It's foreign for me to put Christmas and Satan in the same sentence, but I think there is reason to do so.

In scripture we see that Satan loves to accuse God. He accuses God of being a tyrannt, a manipulator, a god who cares only about himself. Since God created Satan, why didn't He just take him out...you know the saying, "I brought you into this world and I can take you out." Why didn't God just get rid of this problem of the rogue angels who broke God's heart with their rebellion? Because God is God. God is Not a tyrannt, a manipulator or a god who cares only about himself. If He had destroyed Satan then everything Satan had said about Him would have been true. Because God is God, He did the only thing God could have done. If Satan truly believed what he was saying about God, what would be the last thing Satan would have expected God to do? It certainly wouldn't have been to sacrifice His one and only Son by sending Him to earth to pay the ultimate price for human sinfulness. Nor would Satan have expected God-Jesus to accept that role with its pre-determined outcome. And what if Satan could have imagined such a thing happening would he have guessed the form in which it would take place? A human baby born to a teenage girl of common birth, with an earthly father whose only claim to fame was a distant connection to the line of David? No, I don't imagine Satan had any idea what God was up to, nor how it was going to culminate at the foot of Golgotha. If Satan believed what he was saying about God, the last thing he would have expected is that God would pay the price He did to reconcile His creation back to Himself.
On that cold and starry night so many years ago in Bethlehem, God did the only thing that God could do - "For God loved the world, that whosoever will believe in Him (Jesus), shall have eternal life."

My prayer and desire for all who have not experienced the love of God in your life is that you won't begin another year without the Lord as your personal savior. Jesus has paid the price of redemption for each and every one of us. All we must do is accept that gift that He offers. I'm adding a link to the Billy Graham webpage on How To Become a Christian. I believe it has the most complete and clearest explanation of how to accept this gift of salvation. He has done a much better job of explaining it than I ever could. If you would like to talk to me about this please feel free to email me or call me at 425-923-8495. May God bless you!

http://www.billygraham.org/SH_HowtobecomeaChristian.asp

I Drove in Rush Hour Traffic Across the George Washington Bridge Between NYC and New Jersey!

2009-12-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

It was an experience I'll never forget -- driving I-95 between New York City and New Jersey, crossing the George Washington Bridge on our way to Sayreville, New Jersey. Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronxs was located to our left. It was harrowing and thrilling. Rows of semis driving just inches from each other as we jockeyed to avoid first one accident where a car "merged" right into the front wheel of an 18-wheeler and then a stalled semi after that. The CB was alive with accents from the area and languages I couldn't easily identify. One trucker whose testosterone must have needed a release stated that he wasn't going to count the time he spent crawling along as on-duty time, that his company was going to have to pay for this, and bemoaned that he was supposed to be on his way to his sisters in "Joy-sey" where his "old lady" was waiting for him. I also found it surprising that there were a couple of "peacemaker" truckers who cautioned everyone to just calm down and take it easy. That skewed my preconceptions of what truckers would be like in the "Big Apple.". Of course there was one trucker who took offense at being told what to do and proceeded to monopolize the airwaves with his brawdy singing of some song we won't delve into any deeper.

When we came up to the tollbooth where we were suppose to take a ticket that we would then give to the last tollbooth stop and pay for the privilege of using the bridge, we mistakenly got into the wrong lane and so when I arrived at the last stop I didn't have a ticket to present. I told the tollbooth attendant that we were "hicks" from Montana and he just looked at me like I was an alien from outer space - maybe to him it was the same difference. Oh, well, I smiled and said, "Have a Merry Christmas!" I think I heard, "Baw, humbug!" as we drove out of sight.

We Highly Recommend Upstate New York and Vermont

2009-12-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

We had a fantastic day driving through upstate New York. We delivered to a company in Syracuse, New York and on the way to the freeway we drove through the historic area of Syracuse and the architecture was absolutely breathtaking. It is painful to drive by these incredible buildings and not have the time or place to pull over or even get a good picture, but you don't just park a 70' plus vehicle anywhere.

Then we made our way to Burlington, Vermont. I could easily spend a month in Vermont, exploring all of the little villages and towns. Many of the houses look like they must have when they were built, sometime around the Revolutionary War period. Its interesting to note the small square footage of the original houses. Most of them have added additions and unfortunately not all of them stayed true to the architecture of that time. The homeowners who did pay attention and meshed the later additions with the original design have an investment they can be very proud of. When you add wreaths on the doors and candles in the windows during the Christmas season you have a Thomas Kinkeade picture come alive before your eyes.

And I could go on for days about the historical downtowns of these little villages. It actually hurt to have to drive through without stopping to explore but I'm keeping a file of places we want to go back to when we're in a car or camper. I think the churches would stand out as my favorites. We saw white clapboard churches with the graveyards located next to them, brick and stone elegantly built Episcopal, Catholic and Presbyterian churches throughout the region. The majority of these small towns have at least one large, magnificent stone structure as their courthouse and government building and usually stands at the center of the downtown area.

I loved the Northeast and we were in every state except Maine and Delaware but I think I would really like to see it in the spring or fall. Temperatures got down to 7 degrees in Boston, Massachusetts and that is just too cold for me. Shannon and I unloaded 10 pallets of floor tiles in Burlington, VT while it was snowing and the temp was in the teens and by the time we were done we couldn't feel our fingers or toes. But, you know, even in those conditions I realized I was having so much fun climbing in and out of the back of the trailer, hooking the towropes onto the pallets so Shannon could pull them to the back of the trailer so he could forklift them into their warehouse, wearing my orange vest and stopping traffic so Shannon could maneuver the truck and trailer into and out of this itty bitty tiny weeny little warehouse area and just being with my best friend. There have been several times when I've wondered what alien inhabited my body and made me make the life changes I have made over the past few months but when all is said and done, at the end of every exhausting and sometimes frustrating day, I am a much happier person living this nomadic life at this time. I don't see myself taking this on as my long-term, decades long profession, but for now, it is exactly what I should be doing.

Glorious Sunrise

2009-12-20T22:49:00.000-08:00

It was my turn to drive first today so at 5:00am Shannon's alarm clock went off and he started nudging me to get up and get going. He wanted me to have the truck moving by 5:25am, but with the temperature in the teens and our little heater in the truck not working well, it just didn't happen as quickly as that, but I did pull "Clifford, our Big Red Truck," out of the truck stop at 5:35am, which I thought was pretty good. We were in New Mexico on our way to the cold and snowy northeastern states of New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. I'm very excited because I've never been to Vermont or Massachusetts so this will truly be a first for me.

As I drove east on I-40 the sunrise began to take form and eventually exploded on the scene. The word that kept coming to mind was "glorious." I thought of all the mornings in the past that I have missed the sunrise but it didn't matter if I was there or not, they still happened. I'm sure that many of them could have been described with that same word, "glorious."

As I stared at the magnificent display of beauty dawning before me, it occurred to me that God is like the sunrise. Every morning God, clothed in His glory and splendor, wants nothing more than to begin the day with me, but I don't show up. I miss out on an encounter with the One who made the sunrise because I slept in. God is faithful and is waiting to be with me each day, just as faithful as the sun is to rise.

If you haven't experienced a sunrise lately or met with God in those hours of the dawning of a new day, I encourage you to do so. It had been years since I'd witnessed the "glorious" sunrise and experienced a special quiet time with my "glorious" God at the same time. I've been missing out on something very special.

The Twelve Days of Truckin'

2009-12-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas
and may the God of Creation
be the Center of Your Celebration!

THE TWELVE DAYS OF TRUCKIN'

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven gallons of high octane, supercharged JAVA,
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight Bruce Willis movies,
Seven gallons of high octane, supercharged JAVA,
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine bags of jalapeno sunflower seeds,
Eight Bruce Willis DVDs,
Seven gallons of high octane, supercharged JAVA,
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten bottles of No - Doz,
Nine bags of jalapeno sunflower seeds,
Eight Bruce Willis DVDs,
Seven gallons of high octane, supercharged JAVA,
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven bottles of Unisom,
Ten bottles of No - Doz,
Nine bags of jalapeno sunflower seeds,
Eight Bruce Willis DVDs,
Seven gallons of high octane, supercharged JAVA,
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits,
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve cases of 5 Hour Energy,
Eleven bottles of Unisom,
Ten bottles of No - Doz,
Nine bags of jalapeno sunflower seeds,
Eight Bruce Willis DVDs,
Seven gallons of high octane, supercharged JAVA,
Six pepperoni sticks,
Five Johnny Cash CDs,
Four gallons of Pennzoil Gold,
Three PowerDrive 2000 Inverters,
Two Firestik Antennae kits
And a Garmin NUVI 465T.

What a life!

Yellow Snow, Trucker Style

2009-12-17T19:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, we're going to address an unpleasant topic and you may want to ask the children to leave the room. When I first climbed into this truck I had such high standards -- I took a shower EVERY day of my life, I washed my hair EVERY day, and using the facilities meant there actually was a facility to use. After only a few short weeks my standards have hit an all-time low. I actually found myself looking at the growth of Shannon's beard to determine how many days its been since our last stop at one of those deluxe truck stop showers.

Since we're all adults, I don't have to tell you that a natural biological process of the human body is that when you take fluids in, fluids must come out. Right? There are two hard and fast rules in trucking that I've observed thusfar; 1) Truckers have the need to consume massive amounts of highly caffeinated beverages (super charged coffee, MountainDew, whatever their poison may be); and 2) once a trucker gets on the road, he does not want to get off the road until his next fuel stop. Did you know that you can get from Seattle to Los Angeles on a single tank of fuel in these babies? To date, the largest container we've seen a trucker filling with his favorite java was a one gallon jug. You do the math, one gallon of coffee, 11 hours in the truck, something's got to give!

So, just a word to the wise, never, ever assume that the full bottle of Mountain Dew or container of apple juice thrown carelessly and ILLEGALLY on the side of the road is actually what it seems to be.

Modern Cowboys

2009-12-13T15:39:00.000-08:00

My husband Shannon mentioned to me the other day that truckers think of themselves as modern cowboys. I've thought about this over the past week and after watching and listening to our fellow drivers I would have to agree that this comparison is true in many ways. Each evening these modern cowpokes pull their 53+ feet long "horses" into a number of corrals strategically placed along major interstate trails. These corrals have names such as T/A, Pilot, Petro and the Flying J Travel Plaza. Each evening these stops fill up with tired, dirty and hungry cowboys who are in need of rest and refreshment after a long day of herding their goods from one destination to the next. At these stops they can get a "homecooked" comfort meal, restock their supplies, get feed/fuel or new "shoes" for their rides, and even a hot shower with soap and towel provided. Some of these cowboys are true loners. They don't seek out others nor give away anything of themselves. Their best friends are their ponies. Other drivers need to sit around the campfire, which today looks like the counter and booths in the 24 hour restaurants located in each of these stops. They swap stories with others who just came in off the trail. They get into "pissin" contests with each other telling their tales of unparalleled abilities to maneuver their loads in any kind of perilous weather condition or unthinkably tight constraints, they complain about their foremen and the owners of the ranch they work for, and of course flirt with anything that passes for a female. The modern equivalent of the saloon are the taverns, topless bars and exotic dance clubs and casinos that can usually be found along the trail or within walking distance of the "corrals."

There are even modern equivalents to the saloon girl. They are called "lot lizards" and they roam the stops, knocking on the doors of trucks, selling their wares. It is as sad today to see these wasted lives as I'm sure it was for the saloon girls in years past. Today's cowboy for the most part still accepts fellow drivers as instant members into this elect group. Any group has bad apples and good ones and the same is true for these modern cowboys. The CB radio allows for communication between the cowpokes within a certain distance. On a high level, this communication tool is used to alert fellow drivers of hazards on the trail, getting information on where the next corral is located, disclosure of the location of a "smoky," and sometimes just connecting with another human voice. Unfortunately, the bad apples are also able to push that little button and loudly broadcast their low IQ and crudeness for all the world to hear.

Now here is one of the differences from the past to today. Yesteryears cowboys held convictions and if needed they weren't afraid to make their stand, whether it be for the honor of a woman or a fellow cowboy. If it was the right thing to do they did it. Today's cowboys have lost that courage that earmarked them as mustangs and a force to be reckoned with. Yesterday's cowboys came with a belief system; today's come with a "live and let live" attitude, even if that means a fellow cowpoke is ridiculed for the color of his skin. In my short time in this arena I have met a few true modern cowboys. Happily, I am married to one. Two others I met at Watkins & Shepard. One is an instructor for W/S. Dick is a long drink of water, way over six feet tall, slow to speak, fast to help, and absolutely true to his convictions. The same can be said of Dennis, a fellow W/S driver. It has been my privilege to meet and get to know these modern day examples of the best of what it means to be a cowboy.

The other big difference that I've observed in this world of maverick living is the entry of women into this select group. As I was driving last night three rigs passed me in a row, all driven by women. Wives are joining their husbands on the trail and an increasing number of single gals are saddling up, and I think this will have a dramatic change on this longheld male-dominated way of life. Will it be a good change - I hope so - but a change nonetheless. I, for one, will mourn the passing of the mustangs of years past; who let their feats and courage speak for themselves, who walked tall, and slept the honest sleep of the fearless and brave.

Signing off for now - Truckin' Tweety (aka Robyn) and Batman (aka Shannon).

Miscellaneous Pictures

2009-12-11T00:50:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed the most beautiful sunset today in Oklahoma. I would take a shot and then the colors would reach a new level of intensity or the clouds would make the smallest of adjustments and change the whole scheme and I ended up taking about a dozen pictures. How could anyone believe that this was all just an "accident" when it is so obvious that an intelligent Being had to be the Creator of this majestic palette for the eye.

First thing this morning we drove by another semi accident. It looked as though the driver probably fell asleep while driving and drove into the median and the truck and trailer tipped, spilling all of its goods. It didn't look like there was contact with any other vehicle or object, other than good ole' mother earth. The truck you see in these pictures is one that has been called in to transport as much of the goods as possible from the tipped trailer, which is in pieces behind it.

We took this picture for Gerard and Judi --

Happy Memories!

Thought this was a cool picture with the jet taking off from Atlanta International and the incredible clouds.

This flag is HUGE and proudly flies

over McDonough, Georgia!

Pentecostal Church National Headquarters

in Little Rock, Arkansas

Let Me Show You Around Our New Home

2009-12-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

Some of you who know me have been rather surprised that I would give up my home and go on the road in a semi - come to think of it, what was I thinking? It has been a radical lifechange for both Shannon and myself. I've been amused at myself that no matter where I am I seem to try to "nest" and make things more comfy. While at Watkins I was always tidying up the shared kitchen area and much to the dismay of one trucker, throwing away food that looked old. The rule was if you didn't have your name on your food it was fair game to be eaten or thrown away. Well, I was cleaning up and making room in the refrigerator and cupboards for the next class of students to come in and I threw away a couple of hotdogs that were "nameless" and looked old to me but apparently this trucker was planning to eat them that night before he left. He was a rather large man and I didn't want him to be mad at me so I bought him 4 chili cheese hotdogs and fries from Dairy Queen. I was told he could be heard muttering, "Women! Everything was fine until SHE got here." Oh, well, you win some, you lose some.

Since I've joined Shannon I've been "nesting" away, trying to find the best way for two grown people to live in a space built for two grown canaries! I think I've come up with some good ideas and it seems to be working so far, but ask me in about 6 months how it's going.

Here is our HOME OFFICE. It is complete with automatic window washers, centralized climate controls, fully computerized data control center, two warning devices (one on the steering apparatus and one located in the upper left quadrant which is the one that children traveling in other cars indicate that they would like us to blow repeatedly), Sirius radio, Garmin GPS, and beverage recepticals. Shannon and I were concerned that we would both want to work in the HOME OFFICE at the same time but it has worked out that whenever he is working there, I am doing something else, and visa versa. Amazing how it all worked out!

We move on to our LIVING ROOM. This is where we sit or read or sit or work on the computer or sit or take pictures or sit or get up and get things for the person in the Home Office (what's with that?) or sit. You get the idea. If you look closely you can see one of our special treasures sitting on top of the dash area. It was on top of my going away cake from our Small Group from Snohomish Community Church - Thanks Skip, the Dodrills, and the Seefrieds! We love and miss you all so much.

So, here is our bedroom. The bunk is 38 inches wide and 80 inches long (which is good for Shannon who is 74" long). At the foot of the bed I have installed a spring-pressured curtain rod where we drape our extra blankets, since from one day to the next we have gone from temperatures in the high 70s to temperatures in the teens or colder the next day. We need to keep the blankets close and easily accessible.

We move on to our LIBRARY. Here we find books I'm reading for research for one reason or another and our personal finance records are housed here, too. This picture is a little outdated because we no longer store our computer in this location because on a particularly bumpy road the other day it bounced right off and onto the floor. Thankfully nothing was hurt and now the bed serves as the holder of the computer during the day.

Here we come to the KITCHEN. We have a microwave, refrigerator, and a 2 qt crockpot. I've had fun trying to come up with creative ways to cook using the crockpot. I've done the usual things like beef stew and chicken & rice, but the more unusual dishes have been Malt-o-Meal for breakfast and hamburger pie (where I used instant potatoes that I cooked in a ziploc bag). I use disposable crockpot bags that I find at Wal-Mart so no messes to clean up. Oh, look, our garbage receptacle is strategically placed to allow quick clean-out of the refrigerator when needed.

I have a dream pantry...look at all my storage!

What girl wouldn't be thrilled with a walk-by closet. Yes, I walk-by our closet many times a day which allows for constant evaluation of our current style trendiness. If t-shirts and blue jeans are in, we are all over it, baby!

This is our state-of-the-art "DOS" communication center. We keep in constant contact with headquarters and receive up-to-the-minute data concerning our trips, safety, and countless other important communiques.

Hey, if you believe that I have a fine piece of waterfront property in Waterville I want to sell you!

I've saved the best for last...our most treasured possessions - pictures of our grandchildren located on the backs of our visors so that we see them every single day

I mustn't forget the hand crocheted eagle that Madison gave Grandpa when he first began driving. He's had it on the dashboard from day one of this new experience. Then there is the beautiful flower arrangement that Bailey gave to us to brighten our home. Everyday I look at it and remember how proud Bailey was when she gave us this beautiful gift.

And that brings us to the end of our home tour. We hope you enjoyed it and maybe learned a little more than you ever wanted to know about us! What was that? The bathroom? You're asking about the bathroom? Well, that would put you astronomically way over the top of knowing more than you ever wanted to know about us. Let me just say that when you are relaxing on the throne of your choice tonight, please say a prayer of thanks to God above.

With that lovely thought we will say farewell for now.

Happy Birthday to our Beautiful and Brilliant Madison Elizabeth (who turns 5 today!)

2009-12-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Madison! You are such a joy to Grandpa and me. When we're together I can't wait to hear the next silly thing you say or see the next silly look you give to make me smile. I love spending time with you and watching you grow. God was certainly having a terrific day when He made you. Grandpa and I hope you have a great time with your friends at your birthday party and we wish we could be there for it. Grandpa and I are sending you hugs all day from Dalton, Georgia. Watch the mail for something special from us, too. We are so proud of you, Miss Madison. Love - the G's.

Ignorance is Alive and Well in North Carolina

2009-12-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

As I was driving south on I-85 today, not far from Charlotte, North Carolina, I began to hear chatter about a slowdown coming up in a mile or so. Sure enough around the next bend the brake lights began to light up the roadway as the cars and trucks began slowing down and eventually came to a halt. Whenever this happens, the CB radio also lights up with predictably drawl statements and equally predictably drawl and unimaginative comebacks. The majority of these exchanges are harmless if not just ridiculous but what I heard this afternoon was so vicious that I was ashamed to call myself a truck driver.

A voice came over the CB that was easily identified as belonging to an Aftican American man who asked if anyone knew if the backup went all the way to Charlotte.The next "good ole' boy" who got on the CB said, "Hey why don't you come up here we're burning a cross in the median." I was shocked to hear such blatant racism. The black man just ignored the remark and kept asking if anyone knew the status of the slowdown. I was enraged at the audacity of this nameless coward who had attacked a fellow driver because of the color of his skin. Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a good retort until long after the event had happened. I felt like a coward for not coming to the driver's defense. I know that if this ever comes up again I will be ready with some comebacks, i.e., "why don't you crawl back into the cesspool you came from - you give truckers a bad name!"

How Come It's My Turn to Drive When There Is an Ice Storm?

2009-12-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

I wish we could have gotten better pictures of this accident. This 18-wheel truck and trailer jackknifed so drastically that the truck (which you can't see in any of these pictures) is embedded into the other side of the trailer. We didn't hear whether or not the driver was injured but these trucks are made pretty tough and seem to protect drivers more than you would expect.

Then there were several automobiles that tangled up with each other and the guardrails. People really need to SLOW down when it's icy. We had one semi zoom by us on the left and the CB lit up with all the other truckers voicing their opinions of that driver (and none of the comments were charitable). As we crested the hill you should have heard the CB chatter when the drivers saw that that same driver was now in the ditch and frantically trying to free himself from the snow slush. None of those comments were charitable either. FYI - never let your children listen to a CB radio!

It always seems to be my turn to drive when these ice storms are happening. Shannon always says, "It's good practice." I think he's secretly listening to the weather channel. Although I would imagine that it may be harder to be the passenger during these times, especially when I tease him and keep asking, "Now, do I hit the brake or the clutch if we start to slide?"

*********************************************

GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

We spent the night in the freight companies parking lot in Altoona, PA. On our way here we drove through a couple of little Pennsylvania towns and saw some beautiful old buildings. Again, these pictures aren't the best but you'll get the idea.

Happy Birthday to our Beautiful Sweeties - Annabelle and Bailey!

2009-12-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

Bailey and Anna turned 9 years old today! Is time speeding up? Is there a warp in the timewarp? How could 9 years have gone by so fast? I was privileged enough to be allowed in the operating room to witness their births - first Anna and then little Bailey. Well, they were both very little. I affectionately called them Cashew and Peanut. Even though Bailey was the smaller of the two it was Anna who had more trouble with her oxygen. Her parents were grieved when they had to leave Anna in the hospital for additional care but it wasn't long before Anna joined her twin sister at home. We are so proud of them and they have given us more moments of joy than we could ever number. I agree with their parents - they are truly amazing and precious gifts from our Lord.

Happy Birthday, Cashew (Annabelle Rose) and Peanut (Bailey Marie)!

On Our Way to Pennsylvania!

2009-12-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

We left Mira Loma, CA on Wed, Dec 2nd from a freight terminal on our way to Altoona, PA for our first stop and Richmond, VA to unload the rest of the miscellaneous cargo we're hauling. We left Los Angeles where the temperature was 82 degrees and drove I-15 up to Barstow and then took I-40 all the way to Oklahoma City, OK. We encountered an ice storm just outside of Albuquerque, NM and witnessed several wrecks after the fact, and watched one person nearly kill herself in real time. She wasn't paying attention and she just missed a head-on with the end of a guardrail. As it was, the car careened into the snow-covered median for approximately 100 yards where she came to rest not far from a very nasty drop-off. She must have been going at least 45 mph when all of the traffic ahead of her came to a dead stop -- and she didn't. I was driving during this ice storm and when I took an exit to fuel, I slid our big rig a little bit before bringing it back under control. If I didn't need to go to the bathroom before then, I certainly did after!

We spent last night in the coolest rest area in Conway, Missouri. Each of the picnic areas had a different building motif. The attendant at the rest area said it was a prototype and that Missouri was hoping to build additional "themed" areas. It was really a fun place and if the temperature hadn't been in the 20s, I would have enjoyed spending more time there - maybe this summer!

We drove through St. Louis this morning. As you can see Shannon got the St. Louis Arch and me in the same picture - how cool is that?! My brother Michael lives in Afton, MO, and we plan to give him a call and try to have dinner and spend a little time with him and Sandy the next time we travel through St. Louis on a weekend. I hope it is real soon!

Hopefully We Won't Have Many Days Like This

2009-12-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

Our week began last Sunday morning when we arrived at our Lakewood, WA terminal to pick up our truck and trailer to head out after our Thanksgiving hometime. I looked up and saw a helicopter that seemed to be intentionally hovering over our position and thought that was strange. About that time another driver walked up to us and told us that four policemen had been shot and killed just a few blocks over from our terminal and that there were police everywhere. When we picked up our trailer Shannon made sure to check that we weren't transporting any unwanted passengers before we left. Our prayers are with the families of those slain officers. Obviously satan is alive and well on planet earth.

We picked up our paper load in Longview, WA on Sunday afternoon and began our trip to deliver it in Pomona, CA, which we did at 8am on Tue morning. As we made our way to our Santa Fe Spring terminal one of our trailer tires blew. It sounded like a gunshot, it was so loud. Shannon pulled over to the shoulder and a Honda Accord followed us to the side. The young Mexican man who got out of the car said a piece of the tread hit the front of his car. Shannon looked at it and it was hard to tell if there was damage there from before versus what the tread could have done. We went ahead and called the police and the tire service our company uses in Los Angeles to get the tire replaced. The policeman who showed up was not happy with the Mexican man and hassled him about having too dark of window tinting and a few other things the guy had done to his car. The policeman's report won't be ready for a couple of weeks but I doubt that it will note much damage. Our company considers a blown tire an unavoidable incident so it shouldn't go against our driving record but it's still kind of a bummer to have a claim against our truck. Oh, well, I guess that's trucking.

Three hours after the tire blew, we were once again on the road to our terminal when we smelled antifreeze and the temperature gauge read higher than usual. Shannon called the shop and they said take the truck on in to our La Mirada shop, which we did. That night we left the shop with a new radiator, two new drive tire fenders and a new fender spot mirror and our new trip assignment to Pennsylvania. People ask us if we'd ever consider owning our own rig and after a day like we had that day where we needed a new tire, and the new items for the truck, which would all come out of own pocket if we were owner-operators, not to mention the cost of having the tire service call made to us on a freeway and the labor costs involved with the radiator replacement, we both agree that having a company like Watkins-Shepard backing us up is the best way to go!

We Are Truly Blessed

2009-12-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

We weren't sure whether or not we'd make it home for Thanksgiving but we did - just in the knick of time, too, because I thought if I went another day without seeing our kids and all of our munchkins I would go crazy! We'd been gone for six weeks at that point - the longest I've been apart from our grandkids ever! It was a wonderful four days home but way too short and went by way too fast. We did the Pence Thanksgiving at North Seattle and it was so good to see everyone. Thanks again to Carol and Jann for hosting that each year, I know how much work it is, but just know how much we appreciate it. The Pence siblings performed the Christmas story with Ashley as Mary, Breezy as Joseph, Justice as baby Jesus, Bailey as narrator and shepherd, Anna as the angel, and Callie as a lamb. It was a great success! They practiced for weeks and I know it was hard to keep everyone motivated but it certainly paid off and was well received by all. Cameron and Madison weren't to be outdone as they entertained us with several jokes that had the crowd laughing.

It was so hard to say goodbye at the end of the four days. My heart breaks each time I must leave them and I see tears in their eyes. I know that God has blessed this new chapter in our lives so I must believe that He will be there for each of our munchkins as they deal with this separation.

Two Weeks on the Road Together

2009-12-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

The first two weeks that Shannon and I were together driving as a team are a complete blur. I know we drove 8,800 miles and we traveled from Missoula to Los Angeles to Florida to Kentucky to Georgia to Oregon and then home for Thanksgiving.

We not only had the challenge of trying to adjust to each other after being apart for the previous three months (we'd both gotten use to having things our own way, funny how that works!), but then...

1) I immediately got sick (Shannon thought it was probably a letdown from all the stress of the previous month in school),

2) I was putting things away in the back of the truck while Shannon was driving and he had to brake hard and I was not holding on and crashed into the dashboard -- thankfully the gearshift broke my fall by cracking a rib or two, and finally,

3) while putting in my contacts one morning I applied the cleaner instead of the rinse to my contact and proceeded to put my right contact in my eye soaked with the cleaner and succeeded in chemically burning my eye.

Other than those few incidents we had a non-eventful beginning to our new adventure!

Here are some pictures of moments during those two weeks that were a little less painful and what makes this kind of life appealing to those of us who have the wanderlust.

Things I Learned in CDL School

2009-12-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

It gets cold in Montana - when I arrived on Oct. 12th the temperature was in the teens! Burr!

Not all truckers swear and smoke -- besides myself I met two who didn't smoke and only one who didn't swear (and that doesn't include me who let out a four letter word when I knocked off the antenna of my instructor's truck on a tree limb.) I don't need to tell most of you that I'm not perfect by any means.

The majority of truckers are the nicest people you will ever meet.

The majority of truckers are generous, lean heavily to the political "right," don't suffer fools or stupid drivers well (stupid driver is anyone who is driving different than they are), and they seem to really enjoy EATING!

You can consistently grind all 10 gears at any time on any day - right up through the end of your 30 days of school and beyond!

It is still possible to get homesick when you are 56 years old.

The instructors at Watkins-Shepard are the best. They know their stuff and I am thankful for the patience of Dick and Kelby. Dick likes to affectionately call his students, "dumb a__" when they do something wrong and I told my daughter-in-law about it. The next day I got an email from my 5 year old granddaughter, Ashley, with the message, "Grandma, I'm praying that your teacher will quit calling you names." I laughed until I cried.

The Lord provided me with a fabulous friend to go through school with. Matt, a 27 year old guy from Colorado, became my buddy, study partner, encourager, and fellow Dairy Queen Moolatte addict. He set the bar high with his shifting and parking abilities, which actually encouraged me to try harder because of my competitive nature, but alas I am not the natural he is. We laughed a lot and it was nice to have someone to share the day-to-day tensions, weekly laundry task, grocery shopping, and belief and love of God. On our first day of class, the other short-term students gave Matt and I our new "handles" -- Tweety and Sylvester.

A 53' trailer is really, really, really LONG!

It takes a really, really, really large amount of space to turn a 53' trailer.

A 53' trailer doesn't always go where you think it will go -- bad trailer!

When your student trip is planned to go from Missoula to Los Angeles, remember that there are a lot of mountain passes between those two points and bring warm clothes so when your rig gets stopped in a snow storm and your instructor Kelby says to you that he's going to go to bed and you and Matt go out and chain up, you don't freeze!!

My husband is still my best friend and being with him on the road is worth it all.

Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

2009-11-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

Saturday, October 10th: Christopher, Bailey and Anna drove me to the bus stop in Monroe, WA for a 12 hour bus ride to Missoula, MT. Waving goodbye to my son and the girls was the first of what would turn out to be many difficult tasks I would do over the next month. The image of Bailey and Anna sitting on the bench at the bus stop waving to me as the bus pulled farther and farther away still brings tears to my eyes. To say that I have missed my kids and my munchkins is an understatement.

A couple of people offered to drive me to Missoula but I wanted to journey to my new adventure just as Shannon had a few months earlier as he rode the Greyhound bus to Watkins & Shepard for his 10 day orientation class. My thoughts were scattered as I contemplated this crazy and seemingly insane course of action. It had only been two weeks since the Lord had prompted me to give my resignation to a company where I had worked for the past ten years, where I enjoyed security, good pay, retirement, awesome health coverage, and good friends. Shannon had been driving for Watkins & Shepard for three months at that point and got home once every six weeks or so. I was living in our Monroe home by myself, lonely for my best friend, and completely burned out at my job. My coping ability was diminishing on a daily basis. I needed a change and the Lord graciously agreed by opening doors, providing resources, and gave me the courage to take the leap that landed me in the seat of that Greyhound headed east on Highway 2.

I met two people during the trip that made impressions on me, although in completely different ways. The first man was our bus driver from Monroe to Spokane. Have you ever wondered why people who don't like people work in a profession where you work with people all day? Do they start out that way or do they develop their crust of crumugery after countless encounters with people who ask the same questions day after day, or children who scream for hours, or people who get on the wrong bus or have the wrong ticket, or maybe the funny smelling foreigner whose broken English is difficult to understand. Whatever the reason, the result is the same, "stay away from me and don't talk to me" is clearly communicated and this man was broadcasting this message loud and clear. Of course sometimes it's hard not to ask the person in charge a question or two and as I watched the few who dared to step within the driver's circle of caustic atmosphere they each received the briefest of answers which sounded more like grunts than words, no eye contact, and the view of his back as he walked away from the questioner.

Contrast that with the luggage carrier I met in the Spokane terminal. He was a black man with his hair in corn rows pulled back and fastened with a leather cord. He was transferring my bag from the bus we just arrived on to another bus. I thought we were taking a different bus to Missoula so I said to him that my baggage should go on this other bus. He asked me where I was going so I told him Missoula and he gave me a big smile and said in a drawl that clearly indicated Spokane was not his hometown, "Well, now, I could put your bag on that other bus but if you want it to show up in Missoula with you, you may want me to put it on this here bus. The one going to Missoula." I was so embarrassed when I realized my error and my audacity to tell the luggage carrier how to do his job. He stood there kidding me, asking if I was sure I wouldn't rather have it loaded onto the wrong bus. He assured me he could do that if that's what I really wanted. The smile never left his face the whole time. He wished me a good trip and then went on to take care of the rest of his responsibilities, without my help this time.

As we pulled out of Spokane I thought about the differences in the "atmosphere" each of these men surrounded themselves with and the effect it had on those who came into contact with them. What kind of atmosphere do I cloak myself with? Do people want to be around me or avoid me? The Lord reminded me, that while waiting to board the 2nd bus, of the number of people who had approached me to ask questions. At one point I actually thought, "Do I have a sign on my back that reads Information Counter?" In the period of a short 15 -20 minutes, one lady asked if she could use my cell phone because her ride hadn't shown up, an older man asked me where our bus had originated and then told me his story about missing his bus and he was going to have to stay in the terminal for the night, and finally a woman with two children asked me where our bus was going and would I watch their stuff while she took the munchkins to the bathroom. Could it be that the people of this world can actually sense the presence of God in a Christian's life? A beacon that transmits that there is safety, acceptance and assistance available through this person? Does their spirit sense the spirit of the One who created them? It wouldn't have been so unusual for these contacts to have been made if there were only a few of us in the lobby, but there were at least 30-35 people standing around. They singled me out. It gives me goosebumps when I think about the power of God in our lives.

New Beginnings aka Take Everything You've Known and Done for the Past 35 Years and Do a Complete 180 Degree About Face

2009-11-23T13:49:00.000-08:00

"Terror" would be the word I would use to describe the past 6 weeks of my life. I can't count the number of times I asked myself, "What was a 56 year old woman, whose scariest moments of late was meeting the new class of 5 year olds I taught at the Snohomish Community Church, doing enrolled at the Watkins and Shepard Trucking 30 Day School to learn how to drive a semi truck, which when fully loaded rolls down the road at 80,000 lbs?"

I think my husband Shannon must have been putting something in my food to make me think this was something that I wanted to do AND make me believe that I could actually accomplish it. But here we are driving down I-84 West in our 2005 Freightliner Columbia truck with a Detroit Series 60 engine pulling a Great Dane 53 foot trailer filled with rolls of carpet we picked up in Dalton, GA to be delivered to Portland, OR first thing tomorrow morning.

If I had known ahead of time what the last six weeks would be like, would I do it again? Probably not, because I'm basically a chicken and getting pushed that far outside my comfort zone is not something I would willingly do with foreknowledge, but am I glad I did it? YES, YES, YES!

Stay tuned for a complete retelling of my adventures at school ... but right now it's my turn to drive!