[Nevertheless] We'll Adjust

My husband came home early from his job last week and gave me a long hug. I immediately knew something huge and potentially scary was happening. When he let me know his work had let him go, I felt an odd sense of relief rather than the panic I would have expected. 

Since the company declared bankruptcy last year, I've been worried it would happen. Since things slowed down to the point that he was coming home hours early more often than not, I was half expecting it. What I wasn't expecting was him to be let go with no warning after fifteen years working there. We had been talking about the possibilities that would open up once he left that job, hoping to make it to the end of June so that we could spend our glorious two weeks at Camp Calumet and then concentrate on searching for a new and better job.

That wasn't to be. Instead, he has filed for unemployment. Most of the tax refund money that was to go toward paying for our children and ourselves to go to Camp is going toward paying next month's bills. We don't even know if a new job would allow a few days off to go to Calumet, nevermind a week or two. 

For the moment, I find myself less worried about the financial ramifications of his job loss than the logistical issues. We were spoiled with three weeks of paid vacation a year and his four 10-hour day work schedule, allowing for Fridays through Sundays off from work. This allowed for our time at camp and long weekend visits to family, as well as paid sick days which were used more for when I was very ill than when Jim was sick. Jim was able to teach at homeschool co-op on Fridays, we could hike or relax on Saturdays, and go to worship together on Sundays. With a new job, he will be starting from scratch for vacation time and will have to take whatever schedule he's hired to work. 

That is what scares me right now. I rely on our vacation to recharge my mental, emotional, and physical batteries. I rely on three days a week of my husband being available to take over some of what I usually do so that I can better balance rest and activity and can do things I enjoy, such as hiking, knowing I can take adequate time to recover afterward. A change in my husband's work schedule will have a big impact on how I navigate life with chronic illness. 

It would be simple if I could just roll with the punches and adjust accordingly, but there is a lot that goes into achieving the level of function I currently have. Much of my ability to function stems from my husband's ability to be home.

Nevertheless, we will adjust - to a new job, a different schedule, and most likely different pay. It will be tough going for awhile while we find a new balance. We just need to trust that God will work all of this for good in our lives. And pray we can still sneak away for some time at Camp Calumet!