Railroad Wife

I love a man that can wear a baby!!!  And oh how I love my husband.  He works tirelessly to support our family, and even more...support me.  A little over a year ago, I stopped working and began raising our kids at home full time.  It was a difficult decision, knowing the alternative to me not working.  Mr. Fix-It (Mark) is fortunate enough to have different job positions available to him.  He can work in the Vancouver train yard terminal building trains...getting them ready to travel with their various cargo, or he can actually travel with the trains to Pasco, WA and back.  Mr. Fix-It is a train conductor and the first thing he would tell you is that it sounds more exciting than it actually is.  When he works in the yard he is able to have a set schedule and hours.  Mr. Fix-It enjoys the swing shift.  When he works the "road" or traveling with the trains, he has no set schedule and as his name rotates to the top of list he takes whatever train he is assigned to.  He could get a call at 3am.  It is almost impossible to predict any type of schedule.  Welcome to the world of being a Railroad Wife!

While I am VERY thankful for his job, as it as provided so many incredible things for our family, I find this schedule difficult for the children and I.  Having a son with special needs that thrives on predictability, having no clue what days dad has off is so agonizing for him.  We work through it as best as we can, but we all have our moments. 

Yesterday, after nearly a year of working in the "yard", Mr. Fix-it took his first train to Pasco, WA at 9pm last night.  Before he even kissed me good-bye, I was doing the ugly cry.  It wasn't for my lack of confidence or feeling like I couldn't handle it, however; it was more for the fact that I was going to just plain miss him.  He is my best friend.

So here we are entering another transition.  Hopefully the last for a long time.  I am slowly finding my way as a mother of four kiddos.  I am a walking a new path of caring for a newborn up to a teenager.  It is a little crazy at times!