Ready to Talk

So there have been some changes in our household within the past 6 weeks. At the end of March my husband lost his job. We were devastated as we didn't see it coming. We immediately pulled the kids out of daycare and changed the way we were spending money. The company did give him a severance package which helped us make it through the month of April and could help us with the month of May.

The Mr. spent time with the boys by taking them to the park, to the beach, and to the library. He continued to help Thing 1 with his writing and is assisting him with learning his address and phone number before starting kindergarten in the fall. It was a mixed blessing having him home. It was nice to see him and have him be able to spend time with the kids. His job had him traveling so much that we hardly saw him and Thing 2 saw him even less than Thing 1 due to his bedtime. We had had many conversations over the past 6 months to year about his schedule with his job and how I felt that it wasn't allowing him to spend time with his family and focus on what is important.

Well on April 26, exactly one month after The Mr. lost his job, he started another one. It wasn't the best of jobs but it brings in money and allows him to stay home with the kids during the day. The Mr. is working in a restaurant for the evening running a cash register and cleaning (much different than training people in a division that covers multiple states). We worked out our schedules so that we don't need childcare. The Mr. cooks dinner for us before going to work and me arriving home so that we wouldn't have to eat out (thus saving money).

On his third day of employment, The Mr. got a promotion to managing the restaurant. The woman who owns it is a franchisee and needed a manager for that store. During his interview she had said that if he liked the company, she would start management training within a week. Well, management training started on day 3. So did the schedule change. She is trying to accommodate his need to take care of our children, thus making it so he works 3-4 evenings during the week and every weekend from open to close (essentially from 8:30am-10pm). This schedule allows him to see the kids during the week but we will never get time together.

The thing that has always gotten me through when we have had rough times is the fact that it won't last forever. I know things will turn around and everything will work out. I am thankful for what we have as I know it could be much worse. Many people have been without jobs for much longer than my husband had and I am lucky to be with a company that is so supportive. Yes, this new schedule sucks but I know that it is what is best for us for right now. It is allowing The Mr. to spend much needed quality time with the boys. It is allowing us to see what is truly important and only spending time and money on those things.

I am thankful for my friends and family who have kept us in their thoughts and prayers during the past 6 weeks. I know that this rocky road is not quite over as we still have obstacles to overcome but I also know we are on our way out of it. Thank you.