tinkerbell1112

SC Sept Challenge

SC Sept Challenge
tinkerbell1112, Sep 5, 2017
Description:
Cloud 9 by Sabrina's Creations

And, since I've learned there are some who like to read the journaling, here it is :)
It was late September/early October 2008. The decision had been made. While it was scary, we were ready. We had paid off all our bills but the house; we had plenty of savings; including an emergency fund. I had been praying and waiting for this moment since 2003 when I found out I was pregnant with Asher.
The date was planned - "After tax season 2009". The boss was told about the plan so he could know a few months in advance. I was mentally prepared, financially prepared, and ready for this new adventure!

What a sense of humor God has. After only a week or two of informing my boss I'd be leaving work in about 7 months, Eric was laid off from his job. Instead of getting time off with the kids, I had to continue to work. Eric was unemployed for 18 months. At the time I was completely heartbroken. For months I came home from work in tears every day. I'll admit there were times my thoughts towards the situation were completely irrational and angry, but I had waited and planned for so long to be able to be a Stay At Home Mom that I was so angry it didn't happen.

Flash forward 18 months after Eric was laid off. He finally had a job that paid very little, but it was back in the workforce. 6 months after that, he went to work for another company making at least close to what he was when he was laid off. The hard part now was he commuted 1.5 hours each way. Asher was in 1st grade at this point and I was still in management working 60 or more hours a week. Still often coming home in tears. After some lengthy discussions at home, we found if I left management we could at least know I'd be leaving on time every day. We could afford the cut in pay because we had gone the entire time he was laid off without building up any debt and by barely breaking into savings (we really were ready for me to quit work!). I took it a step further and added to my proposal at work a 30 hour work week. I mapped out what I felt I could do in 30 hours a week and how it could benefit the company. They let me! And in November 2010, when Asher was in 1st grade, I went to a 6 hour work day.

Here it is, 7 years later, Eric is back at the company that laid him off, doing well and back where he "should" have been salary wise if he'd never been laid off. And, I'm still only working 30 hours a week. While there have been times I still wish I was at home instead of heading to work at 8am, about 95% of the time, I'm thankful this is the way things turned out. Financially having me work 30 hours a week we have been able to continue to build our savings, we still have no debt and are almost done paying on our house. We've been able to vacation at least once a year; including me having the funds to travel on my own (mostly to Kansas to meet friends for Scrapbooking, but once to Disneyland as well). I always look at it now that my paycheck pays for insurance and vacations! When the house is paid for in about 3 years we'll be looking to start putting all that extra cash towards college.

So, while things never went as I had hoped as a young mom, now that I'm an older and more mature mom I am thankful I kept my foot in the door. I bring home money for fun and I'm still allowed a fairly flexible schedule. I can drop the kids off and pick them up. Now my new goal is to be a "Stay at Home College Mom" so I can bug my kids at college. If they are on any sports teams in college, I'd love to be able to have the time to travel to be sure to see them play whenever I can.

Sometimes when God closes a door, he opens a new door to something you never thought would work for you, but in hindsight was the perfect thing for you! You just have to make it through the dark days to see the good in it!
sabrinavc likes this.
    • SirScrapalot
      Love all the little spills!
      Sep 5, 2017
      tinkerbell1112 likes this.
    • Amson
      Wonderful journalling! I love everything about this page.
      Sep 5, 2017
      tinkerbell1112 likes this.
    • AnnePC
      Fantastic page. It's so hard for me to make a no-photo layout. Yours is beautifully done. I love how you use the papers and all the elements scattered everywhere. And your journaling is so touching and inspiring. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
      Sep 6, 2017
      tinkerbell1112 likes this.
    • KarenB
      I am such a believer in fate and this just confirms it. Everything worked out well and actually, you might have got bored being at home all the time. Fab LO. Love it :)
      Sep 6, 2017
      tinkerbell1112 likes this.
    • tinkerbell1112
      @KarenB there are days I think that too. But then days like today when I finally walked in at 730pm to a house that needs cleaning that I think not. Lol
      Sep 6, 2017
      KarenB likes this.
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  • Category:
    Sabrina's Creations
    Uploaded By:
    tinkerbell1112
    Date:
    Sep 5, 2017
    View Count:
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    Comment Count:
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