Jaime

by Jaime
(Taunton, Massachusetts)

My husband and I have been married 9 years. We have 5 children ages 8, 7, 4, 3, 4 mos. Our 3 year old suffers from a severe speech disability and our 4 mo old has multiple birth defects.

We are constantly driving to the children's hospitals in Boston. Even with my husband home this was a strain on the family.

My husband recently earned his CDL and just went over the road for the first time. So far he has been gone 4 weeks. The kids all miss him and can't wait till he gets home.

The first week was hard but then it got easier. One of the things we did was to hang up a good U.S. map. The kids track where he is on the map and the first question out of their mouths is,"where are you now,".

He should be home in 3 days and I am just now starting to crash and burn. This is going to take some getting used to. He plans to drive over the road for 6 months and then try to get a local or regional job. He enjoys driving. I wouldn't be surprised if he stays over the road for a while longer.

It is hard not having him around but we could have it worse. I think of all the military wives out there whose husbands can be gone for a year at a time or longer. My aunt is one of those women and she handles it with calm and grace.

I think of those women when I start to get on about how hard this is.

Always looking for the positive!