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Megan Knight, Bondurant, IA
TCA Scholarship (2,500)

My dad has worked for TMC transportation as a commercial flat-bed driver for close to ten years. Before I was born, he worked for the ACE trucking company during the eighties. Trucking is a great fit for him because he is very independent and an excellent driver. His career has always had one drawback though; he has to be away from home for at least a week at a time. This drawback has caused my dad to miss what were the most important events in my life through my early school career: volleyball games, band concerts, parent-teacher conferences, etc. It was something that took adjusting not only on my side but also my dad's. At the time my dad returned to truck driving, my mom decided to start working full time at her job because I, the baby of the family, was getting older and would not require constant care. This left me on my own on a lot of occasions. At ten years old, I taught myself how to cook, do laundry, and do other tasks I once had never completed. I learned how to take care of my own needs and create my own goals. I was, in essence, a mini, self-sufficient adult. My mom and I were used to having a man around the house be "Mr. Fix-It," but we were on our own. One example of us adjusting was just last winter. It was a horrible winter with measureable snow fall, and neither of us knew how to use a snow blower. I researched instructional videos, and I was able to figure out how to use it. I taught my mom how to do it, and now we just need to figure one more thing: how to use a lawn mower. At first, I did not like my dad being a truck driver, but the more I heard him talk about his job and see him dedicated to it, the more I respected him. We all made sacrifices for us to live the life that we have, but he has had to make the most. However, his career has brought my family closer together because when he is home, my family cherishes every minute.