March 3 Idaho Falls, ID

You know I have a love-hate relationship with this job. I truly love the travel, meeting new friends everyday and all those books. I actually think the hardest part is being home.

There always is way too much to do. The unloading the truck and finishing all the paperwork, while making new order list and creating new paperwork. I've mentioned most of that several times before. And any truck repair Jim tries to get done during this time too.

And of course we want to spend all the time with family and friends that we can.

The part I really haven't shared is all the medical problems that have started since we've worked here. I seem to enjoy health problems more than Jim. Lucky me!

Last year I woke up one morning with eye problems. It looked like someone had scribbled on my eyeball. So last year and this, I've gone in for several tests to rule out several problems. I never have enough time to do it all at once. Can't get appointments that quick.

I've also had problems that called for a colonoscopy two years in a row. That's definitely not fun, but certainly better than ending up with colon cancer. They found polyps both times.

When we started on the truck in August 2008, my right knee was giving me major problems. I couldn't climb into the truck, my leg would give out while I was standing and it just plain hurt. Finally, that got better and I could walk without hurting. Last week my left knee started doing the same thing. When you're on the road, it's hard to get therapy for anything.

When we went to Las Vegas and again last week in Maryland, my ankles started swelling. Last week they got very big and painful. The swelling would barely go down by morning, then start all over again. So now when I fly or we are going to drive several hours, I need to wear support stockings. (Am I getting old, or what?)

I'm not done, there's more.... since we've been living on the truck, I have allergies to something. I get places that itch and of course, I have to scratch. When we got home this year, I had a rash on my stomach. Then that cleared up and another started on my legs. After that my arms. Finally, it was all over my body. You know a person just doesn't have time to scratch in all those places.

So, my regular doctor gave me a steroid to clear that up and sent me to a specialist (at my request). The doctor also said I would be on a antihistamine the rest of my life.

The allergist said I couldn't see him until I had been off that for a week (I had just started the day before!) The night before my appointment something triggered a reaction and my throat started swelling up. So I took a pill. The doctor couldn't test me for anything because of the benadryl. Am I lucky or what? Yes I am! I'm still alive and the allergies have quieted down. Good thing, because we're on the road again and can't do anything else.

Any other medical problems? Probably, but that's enough to think about right now.

So, especially just before we start out for another three month run, I start feeling anxious, stressed, panicked, etc. It doesn't take much and I'm ready to cry. And really, I'm not a crybaby.

In spite of all this, I feel like we're exactly where God wants us to be for now.

I guess I just wanted to be 'real' about our life on the truck. It's hard, but the rewards are mighty (and I'm not talking about money)

Just this week we had an exciting experience while at home.

Sometimes for a night or two before a trip, we bring the whole semi home and park it in our driveway. We live in a culdesac, so there's room for it to stick out. Also, we live in a Mormon neighborhood. Last trip, one of our neighbor ladies wanted to see what the trailer looked like inside, so we gave her the grand tour. She loved it. Immediately she started picking out books to buy, one book being 'Creation and Evolution'. She came back to us yesterday wanting to buy another copy of that book. She was reading that book while on the airplane. She told me that she was marking places and folding down the page corners, where she wanted to go back and read again. She was so excited about what she was reading, that she started talking about it to a lady that was setting next to her. Finally she gave it to her. She explained that it was written by a Seventh-day Adventist, but it really was good anyway!!! Actually, she gave me a book report on that book, in case I haven't read it! Now she needed another copy for herself. She also wants to buy other books for her women's study group.

Always before we start on a big trip like this, it seems like the devil tries to discourage us and make it almost impossible to start. Today was almost funny. I thought we could be ready by 10:00 AM. We left at 3:00 PM.

First I went to put on my new support stockings. I just bought them yesterday. My prescription was for 2 pair. The clerk told me that each package came with two. Also, they didn't have my size, so he convinced me to buy the one for men. He promised that there was no difference, except for the picture on the package.

so first of all, when I opened the package, there was only one pair of socks. At $42. a box, I expected two, like he promised. Then I put them on. The socks were so tight, I could hardly get them over my foot, let alone my leg. When I finally did get them up, the foot was about 3" too long. Definitely a man's sock. So we went back to the store and returned the socks. About the two stockings in the package, he was correct, one for the right foot and one for the left!

We had to go on to Boise to find another medical store that also carries these stockings. They were cheaper, only $32. a pair, but after the last place, that seemed cheap!

Now it's around 11:00. Jim wanted to go to the Press while I finished putting stuff together for the trip. Jim has been expecting one more box of books to come in for the Men's Retreat we're doing this weekend. It wasn't there.

When he almost got back home, he got a phone call. They found his box of books! So Jim went back to pick them up. The sender didn't put Jim's name on the package, so the Press had no idea who it was for. The box came Feb 25, today is the 3rd.

So I went shopping! After all I'm already packed and ready to go. I found a little 'stair stepper' that we can use for exercise. If nothing else, I can put it in front of the cash register and 'step' while I'm ringing up sales!

Between no exercise and not being able to eat healthy for three months at at time, it's no wonder life on the road is so hard on the truck, physically.

One last thing, after we were about four hours down the road, Jim realized that he forgot his jacket.

Oh well! we'll be lucky if that's all we forgot.