Life's Curve Ball

Several posts ago, I mentioned that sometimes life throws a curve ball... and I said that I hope I can laugh about it someday. Well, I will share our experience with you today.

At the end of May, my husband lost his job. The company he was working for decided to close the office in this area. All the people in the same department were let go. Wow...

I had a precedure the week before, so he was working from home to take care of me, and the day the lay off happened he went to work not knowing that it was going to happen.

I was resuming my regular daily routine, then, around the noon, the phone rang...

My husband: Hi hun...I don't have job anymore.

Me:....(ok, my brain was tryiing to process what I just heard and decide, either he is joking or if he is not joking, what to say)

Husband: Umm... are you there?

Me: yeah...really? Why?


What made it harder was, two days before the lay offs, we planned our first Disneyland trip, got reservations, AND told the kids about the special family vacation we are doing. Talk about curve balls, if we would have known, we certainly wouldn't have planned the trip, nor would we have told the kids about the trip.

We had a family conference that afternoon, and told our kids what was happening.

husband: Well, I have something very important to tell you... I don't have a job anymore.

Michael: What!? You lost it!!? (As if he had lost a set of car keys.) How!?

Husband: Well, they closed down the office.

Michael:(his eye were looking somewhere in the air) Are we poor now?

Me: Not now, but if he can't find job, we might become poor.

Then we had to tell them that we probably won't be able to go to the Disneyland, and we have to cut back our spending and pray that daddy will find new job soon.

Michael was thinking about something and shouted, "How about BEST BUY?" at first we looked at each other and thought that "What is he talking about? Is he ok?", then, it came to me that there is a girl, he liked in his class, whose dad works at BEST BUY. He was trying to help find work.

Over the next few days, Michael would call out random company names to his daddy he probably heard on commercials and stuff to see if he could work there. He even told him that may be he could become a "bug killing guy".

They were disappointed about not going to Disneyland, but I think they were more worried about becoming poor and being homeless. I found out from my mother-in-law that, Michael even asked her if it would be ok for us to move in with them; if his daddy couldn't find a job.

They were all very helpful, if they wanted something at the store, and I say no, they didn't complain. I even told them that there were extra chores around the house for them to earn money. I am not paying until daddy gets a job, but they were understanding. Every morning and night, they prayed that their daddy would find a job soon.

My husband's persistant job search, lots and lots of friends' help, recommendations, and many other peoples' prayers (Thank you everyone!!), I am so happy to say that he got job offer today!

We had another family conferance today.

husband: Well, kids, I want to say thank you for your help and prayers over the past few weeks. Today, I got a job offer.

Michael: They gave it to you?!! (As if they returned his lost car keys)

husband:(chuckle) yes they did, and we are going to Disneyland this summer.

Kids:YEAH!!!!!!! (they were jumping up and down in their chairs as they clapped their hands.)

I know we are very fortunate to find a job so quickly in this economy. Life's curve ball came as a shock to us, but I am so grateful that we didn't have to worry for a long time. Although, this experience definately brought us closer as a family; and I know for sure that the kids appreciate thier daddy even more. Because of his hard work, love, and devotion for our family, we have food on our table and clothes on our backs and much more.

Father's day is coming up. I saw Michael writing a letter to his daddy in his room tonight. Chirstopher was asking his daddy what his favorite candy bar was with his piggy bank in his hand( talk about being sneaky and subtle). My husband and I looked at each other and smiled.

Oh, and Rachel told him that she wants to marry him when she is older. That totally melted his heart, and I know that effect will last for many Father's days.

I am going to spend lots of time with my family and I am gonna plan a special Father's day dinner for him.

Everyone, have a happy Father's day!

Note: I will post "Link Love" on Monday. Come back to see me! :)