A New Chapter

On March 19, 2009 I was laid off from my job as a copywriter in Scottsdale. I have yet to find another full-time job that pays enough to pay the regular bills as well as afford daycare which would be necessary with my two small children.

This past year has been rough. I have had to face so many challenges that sometimes I would like to erase it all from my memory. I cry some days, I laugh on other days and try to find my center in this universe that seems to be spinning out of control around me. Most of the time I pray that Delaney makes it out of this okay and that Mia and Bodhi are young enough that they won't remember how hard this has been on all of us. And in general, I feel I've done a pretty good job remembering and honoring what really matters in this life - namely my family and my close friends. In this regard, I'm the richest person in the world and I know it.

But, about 6 weeks ago, gray clouds started to gather overhead. Rumors began creeping around the shop that the City of Mesa would be going through another round of layoffs and this time, the fleet services department would not be spared like they were before. At first, it was reported that there would be 6-7 people lost, and then it was 3. For a little while I held out hope that Trent would not be one of the unlucky 3.

But, yesterday he received his official papers. Trent will also be out of a full-time job on July 1, 2010. And on that day, we will be on the road to spend a month in Idaho as a family. Our home will go on the market for short sale and we will open a new chapter in our life.

I'm not sure how the story will read, but it's sure to be full of highs, lows and everything in between. And in the meantime I will appreciate the freedom that comes with losing it "all" in terms of material and financial wealth. When you aren't tied to a job, a house, or a credit score, you can suddenly see a world of opportunities that simply weren't possible when the monetary strings were attached.