Grace On The Line

By: Beth Combs

If you’re reading this welcome to the family. Our readers all share a similar connection — either as a mother, wife, girlfriend, or sister of a lineman. We are a unique community as one that truly understands and can relate to the un-normal lives we often lead. Crazy schedules, lost sleep, always one ear open for the weather channel, and constant worry are what passes for “normal” when you’re part of the line family.

For us, we are doing things a little backward. As a blended family – our littles were just 3 and 4 when I came into their lives – we were both co-parenting with hostile ex-partners. 

Working with the local utility was a good place to be while the children were small and needed stability as we worked our way through establishing a new relationship and finding healthy boundaries with the exes, the kids, and each other. Marriage is hard work!

Fast forward several years, my oldest is now 15 and the littles aren’t so little anymore either – middle school is fast approaching – not sure how I feel about all of the impending hormones!

With better relationships all the way around traveling for work has made much more sense financially and has allowed for him to have more personal job satisfaction.

Don’t misunderstand, it is hard. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done, it is always tough to say goodbye when he leaves again. At home or away — our men have one of the toughest and most thankless jobs out there. When I think about how hard my day has been, I try to take a minute and remind myself, that because of him, I can work at a job that I want to and don’t have to. We are in a nice, warm house because he works outside week long for us to be comfortable. And when I am longing for adult conversation and feeling the empty side of the bed, I know he’s missing me too.

A few weeks ago, I got a text not long after we hung up from our “goodnight” phone call. “I just wanted you to know I rolled over to tell you something and you weren’t there,” it read. This made me feel all the feels.

These days most often the co-parenting falls to me when he is on the road. They say it takes a village to raise a child and in this case it does seem to work that way.

With the caring for parents and grandparents often a part of our routine days are often quite the juggling act – so I’ve learned to accept support wherever it is offered. Not easy for a Type A personality, but I’m learning.

Weekly updates regarding finances and face time for important decisions help us stay connected and unified too.

I am looking forward to the time when I can travel with him and planning for long summer vacations around the kids schedule gives them something to look forward to as well.

I hope that as we continue to travel along this journey, that you will find a community of strong women who know what it is to be in your shoes. That you will allow yourself times to not always be strong and

 have a place to lean on others.

We talk about “living life on the line” and line life, but more than the occupation, we walk a line —

 trying to balance their needs with ours. 

About Me:

Wife

Mom and step-mom (9, 10, and 15)

dog mom to 2 crazy Belgian Malinois and as of today haven’t killed any of our fish (so still 6!)

Coffee lover

Writer

Reporter

Pinterest lover

project starter

thrift store shopper, but I do love Target — who doesn’t?!

Sometimes runner, but only if you count the indoor machines

beach bum (I want to do more of this in 2019)