Change is in the air...

Yesterday, I posted about my company picnic. I said I worked there for 12 years. Today, I was laid off or whatever you want to call it. Where do I start? 12 years ago, I guess. Back then, I had been working full time for a non-profit place. Timmy was 5 and started Kindergarten. I had arranged it to where I could leave early twice a week to pick him up. Then one October day, my new supervisor said I COULD NOT leave. Ummm... what was my 5 year old supposed to do? Walk home alone. After a quick phone call to Tim and a quick response from him that I should quit. I did quit. I applied for a lot of office type jobs over the next couple weeks. I was 22 and didn't have too much experience in anything. Finally, I found this part-time job ad and I went apply. The day of my interview, I sat in the parking garage and prayed. I asked God to please give me a decent job that allowed me to only work while Timmy was in school. I had no idea when I walked in that I would find this guy, Adam. He was my age, finishing up his accounting degree and a newlywed. He was a wonderful Christian and he believed (still does) in family. Before I knew it I was telling him how I really wanted to be more available to my son and that was why I only wanted to work part-time. He never told me this, but I suspect Adam liked me more because of all the babbling I did about taking care of my son. Adam was my boss for the next 3.5 years. He became a very good friend and taught me many things - one of which was to stay out of credit card debt. He showed me through an accountants eyes how evil interest is. When he quit, I thought my perfect job would fall away. I worked 9-3, while Timmy was in school and sometimes I wrote up journal entries at home. My new boss, Bill stepped in. While we were never best of friends, he was a decent guy to work for. He didn't have kids, but he was generally easy to get along with. Things went well for a number of years. About the time he came to work there, I told our big boss that I wanted to get in on the telecommuting program. I was expecting Savannah and we knew we wanted to homeschool. He listened to me and by April of 2000 I was working from home most of the time. We were happily homeschool and working from home when along came 9/11. My company is a financial company. It took a downturn like so many did. My nice little accounts payable job was to be merged with the bigger accounting dept. I thought it was over then, but the two bosses figured it out. They moved me to another area and took an in office job and converted it to telecommuting. That was in May of 2002. Since then, I have been working for Linda who just happens to be one of my best friends. We had been sitting by each other way back 11 years ago. We would chat on and off all day and just grew to have a great friendship. I was estatic to work for her. Over the last 4 years, my job has changed and I have changed. I had another baby and Savannah is doing more school than before. I am older and more tired too. We had talked about moving away, but we always said I had a dream job. Who would leave a dream job where you can work from home and be with your kids? Today, the big people at the top decided it was time to make some more cuts. People like me that have cushy, easy jobs seem like the people to cut. I really can understand that. My good friend and boss, Linda, had tears in her eyes when she told me and I felt bad for her. Afterall, she is my friend. It was hard on her. I didn't react the way I thought I would. Sure I cried a little especially when I would look Linda in the eye. Then I felt so sad. At the same time, I felt relief. I felt like we could make new plans and didn't always have to say, "we can't because Kari has a dream job". They did offer me another position in the same department, but I would have to work full time in the office. I know a lot of you do that and raise kids. I can't. I guess I could, but I don't want to. I have one son almost grown. I see how very fast they grow up. I have one son that is just 2. I do not want to and I will not miss these years. I guess if we are starving, we will have to do something, but not today. I think of Debi and how she only had so little time on this Earth. I won't spend it away from my kids. I told Linda that I was lucky for all the years I had such a great job and for that I am thankful. I don't hold bad feelings for the company or my bosses. They were all very good to me. I left there and headed to Tim's work to meet him for lunch. When I told him, I cried. He hugged me and told me we would be just fine. I told him about the other job offer and he said that really wasn't an option. I married a good guy. Some guys would say well, duh, take the job. He said that he would rather move away than put our kids in public school and daycare. He is a good, good dad and husband. I told my mom and she said she would watch the kids and homeschool Savannah for me if she had to. She also said she would move wherever we need to go. Then my sister, Michelle, called and told me she was sorry and not to let it get me down. God always has a plan. I am blessed with such a family. So, today change is in the air. I can feel it on the wind and I know that God has a plan just like He did that day I sat in the parking garage and prayed.