(New Here) Husband is a rock blaster!

Karie - posted on 07/12/2009

Hello Crystal.

I'm new to this "community" too, as well as being a newcomer to the whole FaceBook thing.



Wow, it sounds like your hubby has a pretty cool job. It's fantastic that he is willing to work so hard to support you and the children. I know sometimes it's hard being the one left at home. But on the other hand, you get to be the best mom ever taking care of the family and maintaining a lovely home/sanctuary for your husband to return to.



My husband and I have been together for 16 years, and next month will mark our 12th wedding anniversary. We have a 12-year-old son, and a one-year-old daughter.

For the first few years of our son's life, he got to be Mr. Mom because I happened to be the one with a job that had benefits. This time around with our daughter, we were in a much better position and I chose to stay at home with the kids while he works. (Quite the trade-off, eh?)



My husband works on the North Slope, which is what we Alaskans call the oil fields up around Prudhoe Bay. We have been very blessed with this job as he went up there 3 years ago for a 6 month temporary position, and managed to work into a semi-permanent equipment gig. I say "semi-permanent" because all jobs on the Slope are considered temporary due to the fact you never know when you will get your walking papers. (Especially in today's day & age.)



Being at home was quite the shock for me as I've been employed with a "regular job" since I was around 12 years old. I think being a full-time mom is harder than any job I've ever done before. Then, adding on the fact my husband is gone anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks at a time (with equal time off), creates a regular cycle of chaos here. I've found that once I get any sort of routine established, he comes home and all the planning goes out the window. That is the hard part for me, switching back and forth between acting as a single mom with support, and a full-time two-parent household.



We talk on the phone quite a bit (every day), and meet up online too. We have always had a very strong relationship, and think that communication and listening is key to surviving the separation. Intimacy can be a huge hurdle, and hard to duplicate over a distance!



I can only imagine how hard it must have been to be 19 with a baby and going it alone. You’re stronger than me, because I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have handled that very well at 19. –Then again, we do whatever we have to as moms, right? My hat is off to you, Lady!! The pics of your babies are fantastic. They are adorable children. Keep up the good work, being your kid’s mom!!! :-)