We're Paying With Love Tonight

Two days ago, my better half's company decided to completely eliminate his entire department. It wasn't completely unexpected, but was still pretty shocking to get the news. 

There's a ton of emotions involved when something like this happens... But the overwhelming emotion right now is RELIEF. In the last 17 years, my better half has weathered no less than 6 rounds of layoffs. They had to close an entire department to get rid of him. ;)

When we started looking back...

It was his first job out of college.
Now, he has 17 years of experience in a very specialized field that means he is very bankable.

It was how he got sponsored to work in the US. 
Now, he is a naturalized US citizen and can work anywhere and for anyone without worrying about employment-based visas and green card issues.

It was how we qualified to buy a house.
Now, we have the freedom for him to find the *perfect* fulfilling job and we aren't strapped financially thanks to their appreciation of his almost 2 decades of service.

Five years ago (give or take a few), I really didn't have many friends outside his work friends.
Now, I have a circle of friends who I know I can call on if I need support.

When I posted the news on social media, the outpouring of love and support was overwhelming and it helped me through a pretty nasty panic attack. That and my better half being the rock that he has always been. Truthfully, he took it WAY better than I did.

The funny thing is, I'm not one to ask for help. I prefer to GIVE it. But just knowing that if I need it, I can call for help means the world to me. To all my friends, you are loved and appreciated more than you know. I thank God every day for all of you!

And now we move on to another chapter in our lives. Where it will be? That chapter has yet to be written. I just know that wherever we go, whatever happens, it will only be up from here.

We had been stuck in a serious rut for a while. We'd bandied about the idea of moving jobs, moving cities, yada yada, but we never really did anything about it. We'd prayed for a sign...

Apparently we're really dense and haven't seen previous signs, or it needed to be a REALLY BIG ONE to have us realize it as actually being a sign. Either way, we saw it.

I know this is sort of rambly, but it's real. I'll leave you with this thought: Life isn't about the money, money, money. It's about your support system and love.

PS: The KonMari Method really is magical. His job wasn't really sparking joy and it KM'd itself right out of our lives.

You Are Golden

Today I got the news that a dear friend of mine had passed away. She was the first of any of my friends to go and it hit me like a ton of bricks. You expect your elderly grandparents to go before you. You expect your family members/friends who have been ill for a long time to go before you. But you don't expect a young woman with a family - even grandkids - to head to the great Beatles Listening Party In The Sky at such a young age and with no apparent warning.

The thing is, my friend Shelly is someone I know only through my computer. She sent me this awesome Facebook flair:

I remember smiling from ear to ear when I received it. Because it sums up a lot of my life. I'm pretty much separated from my friends by distance and so we keep up with each other online. Over the last few years, I've come to know Shelly as being an amazing mom, devoted wife, on fire Christian, lover of the Beatles and Disney and all things wonderful.

She hadn't been feeling well lately and on November 1st had posted to our message board the following:

As soon as I can get one or two good nights sleep I'll be golden:)

Little did she know just how golden she was going to be. The thing is, November 1st is All Saints Day. It's the day that Catholics celebrate all the Saints in Heaven. I firmly believe that God has her in His arms right now.

So I've lit virtual candles for her and will light more at Church on Sunday. If you want to light a candle and say a prayer, you may do so here.