I’m free…. well almost

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So---love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE…getting back up is LIVING!

Yesterday, my life changed. Although I was expecting a change and knew something was coming down the pipes, it didn’t go down the way I planned or thought it would…and that is ok – good in fact! I’m not in control, God is and I’m grateful for my blessings. I (along with many others) was pulled into a conference room and notified that the re-positioning efforts within our group do not include me in the plan. I’ve been laid off! Well, I’m officially still employed and will be for a couple months but I’m sitting at home – not working! This is called garden leave. I still have my laptop and my phone but I basically get paid in full to forward an email here or there to my boss, answer a question here or there and sit here and look for another job. I get to be a full time Stay at Home Wife/Mom for a few months with the benefit of my full salary! Does it get any better than this? On April 3rd, my employment will officially be terminated and I’ll receive my severance. I’m going to be blessed with 5 additional months of full pay! 5 months!!! I feel so blessed.
This is what is going through my head as I write this morning… No more…
Office drama – AMEN
Being bullied – Double AMEN
Running late and getting “the look” - AMEN
Being dumped on and overwhelmed with work - AMEN
60-100 hour work weeks + the Mom duties – Triple AMEN
Getting permission to take time off to take my kids to the doctor - AMEN
Confusion and dealing with corporate politics – AMEN

Of course some of these will be short lived as I plan to work again but for now I’m going to sit here and enjoy my time with my family.

Yesterday was tough. It was hard to see really good hard working people get walked off the trade floor. In this industry, you don’t get to pack your things and leave quietly. We’re notified and immediately walked out of the building. It was hard for me to wrap my head around not taking this personal. Although I’d cleaned my personal files off my computer Monday evening and cleaned off my desk yesterday morning before I got called into the conference room, I was still in shock. My heart aches for my team. A few of them are my dear friends and they now have to pick up the slack. At some point within the next few weeks, or maybe today, I’ll get to the point and think “it’s not my problem” but for now, it upsets me that they are stuck doing my job….or their job…or whoever’s job.

My friend, Penny Franklin, said it best in her blog entry this morning. Everything in her life has changed but GOD REMAINS! I am in no way going through the changes she's had to endure in the past 20 days but one thing stands true – God is in control here and He is constant. God remains!! Thanks Pen for this post. This is exactly what I needed to read first thing this morning.

I'm actually doing ok. There were tears yesterday but today I feel like a new person. I'm ready for this new chapter!

End of 2010

I post this tonight with a heavy heart. As always, I write the blog and have to read and re-read it several times before I actually post it. With our holiday travels and not having internet at Grandpa’s house in Iowa it was postponed. I planned to post it soon after our return on Thursday but the blog and the information in it didn’t matter after we got the call about our dear friend John Franklin and the hunting accident that took his life. My heart goes out to my sweet friend Penny and their 2 precious kids Jordan and JP. John was the Godliest and most faithful man I ever met. My husband referred to him as “the Bible on tap”. He could & would willingly help you through any situation and would talk for hours about the word of God. If we had a question about anything pertaining to the Bible, Church or Christianity in general, John was our go to guy. He was a wealth of knowledge. John, Penny and the kids spent a few days with us a couple months back and I will never forget that weekend. Since their move to New Orleans in 2009 we had the opportunity to visit their church Journey Christian (where John was the lead pastor) on several occasions. It was amazing to see his dream of becoming a lead pastor come true. I will always remember John for “The Way” and for being the positive influence he was to all (specifically men and husbands). RIP John Franklin. We’ll miss you!









_____________________________________

I can hardly believe this will be my last post in 2010. I’m on vacation until January 4th – that is 17 days off!!! Praise God!
Taryn had a dance recital before the holidays and she did great. During her spring recital, she was so scared she wouldn’t come out from behind the curtain. She didn’t have fear this time; she did all her moves and looked adorable.

Kiarra had her winter choir concert as well as singing at Dickens on the Strand. I’m still in denial that she is in Jr. High.
Poor Jayden, he’s not involved in sports or activities yet. Booo!
I finally started my shopping the Tuesday prior to Christmas. We heard there may be bad weather in Iowa and I didn’t want to chance not getting the Santa presents since we told the kids he would find us there. Shopping that day was brutal but it had to be done. We left Wednesday afternoon for Iowa (for the 3rd time this year) and I’m so glad we did. The drive up was one of the fastest we’ve done in a non-emergent situation. Talan and I drove it once in 12 hours and during the time of Dads accident we drove up in about 13 hours. This trip took us 15 and we didn’t speed or drive crazy, we just simply didn’t have any bad weather or traffic.

It snowed and it was perfect. We spent Christmas Eve with the Melby side (which is always a blast) and Christmas Day and the day after with my Moms side of the family (which is also a lot of fun). Tamia was with us the first few days of being there but she had to be home by noon the day after Christmas so we had her on the first flight out Sunday morning. My cousin Ang invited us down one afternoon so the kids could play and go sledding. They all get along so great and had a blast. We even left the older girls to babysit so the adults could go out to dinner. It was great to have adult time with Ang, Chris, Kari and Luis. My aunt Marcia took care of us as always ensuring there was always enough food to eat, drinks to drink and games to play. Even though she had just had surgery on her had, she didn’t let the slow her down. Ryan had Kennedy down one afternoon and it was so cute to see her and Taryn play together.
We couldn’t leave without Jeff getting his steak! We had a great dinner at AK’s in Ute. My Brother Teige, Sister Kathy, Nephew Logan, Aunt Loretta, Uncle Russ and Cousins Andrea, Lucas, Brent and Kelly were able to join us along with Moms Sisters and my Cousin Rozz and her kids. We had a great time. I love my family so much! There are times I wish I lived closer and then I’m there and am glad I’m in the city away from the small town gossipy madness. I literally walked into a gas station and over hear the ladies talking smack about the person who just left who I happen know! Ridiculous J I do regret not getting a chance to get together with friends while there. Sorry friends!!! We ended up cutting the trip short because of freezing rain that was supposedly coming that way. I’m not sure it ever showed up. I thought it would be easier to get together with everyone with Christmas falling on the weekend but it was actually more difficult. Maybe next year…

Last pics of 2009.