I was NOT going to post about this on the blog until we knew one way or another. And I'm not going to post all the details because, well just because I'm not. I do feel like I'm walking around on pins and needles though and I can scarcely take a breath in. I'm not exactly sure if I'm having a cardiac event or a massive anxiety attack.
Long story short, Gareth traveled to a job interview over the weekend and just phoned me, after having spent the entire morning and most of the early afternoon meeting with several people and he LOVES it! Another big bonus of this potential position is that there seems to be a huge Ex-Pat community there (for those that don't know what that means, it's just a fancy way of saying there are a lot of Brits there and in the surrounding community...people who won't constantly ask him whether he's from Australia and who will know what the hell he's talking about when he says shedjoole and calls someone gobshite or a wanker!), which is great for Gareth.
Don't even ask me, if they make him an offer, when they want him to start because I don't happen to have a defibrillator nearby and I'm seriously needing one right about now.
This Friday will mark four weeks since Gareth was laid off. This will have been his 4th interview. The others went well but no one is in a position to offer a job right now, especially in his industry. We know that this is a relatively short amount of time to be unemployed compared with national averages, and we're aware that millions of others have been waiting months and months for a job to come around. It makes me feel guilty to even talk about it because I don't want to come across as boastful or vain and I know that others out there are struggling with unemployment and depression and are in a very scary place. We're rapidly approaching that place. Gareth's unemployment benefits haven't even started yet because there is a massive backlog in Maine and he still has to go through a phone interview with a case-worker there to sort out some things and that won't happen until the second week in December. Until then he won't get a dime of unemployment. Although they already determined he's eligible, they have to figure out when exactly those benefit weeks will start because of the pittance of a severance he received.
We have realistically been preparing ourselves for the worst, knowing we'll get through it, but just mentally getting ready for that wave of crap to wash over us. I'm really trying NOT to get my hopes up. I am. I swear I am. Whatever happens, in the end we'll be OK. I just want this so badly for Gareth. He sounded so upbeat and positive and I've noticed lately that he's been pretty frustrated and I think the reality has been hitting him pretty hard. He's never been unemployed before and this has been a huge blow to his self-esteem, professionally and personally. Even though it was a lay-off for purely financial reasons and wasn't because of anything he did, it still hurts.
It's now been several hours since I originally started this post. My sister Amanda called and when the two of us get on the phone it's never a short "Hello, how are you and the kids, OK great, talk to ya soon!" sort of thing. She talked me down off of my ledge and reminded me that no matter what happens, we'll be OK. Gaby can't figure out why I feel as if I'm walking around on pins and needles and all she wants is for her daddy to hurry and come home because, "Mumma, you better at playing tea party but not so good at Legos!" so at least one of us in the house has our priorities straight. And honestly? Gaby is right. I'm crap at Legos! I have no eye-hand coordination and she and her daddy build these amazing structures and lots of other things that I couldn't even begin to comprehend trying to how to put together!
Oh and by the way...Meg got to make her first call home last night!!! Gareth was so sad to have missed it! I can not even begin to tell you how wonderful it was hearing her voice. There were lots of tears to begin with and then Gaby grabbed the phone and there were even more tears! However, she sounds good though. She's hating it a little less and still trying to figure out what the hell she's doing but she's OK. It was such a short call and we tried to fit in so many words into ten minutes! Mine overlapped hers and hers overlapped mine in between the sniffles and nose-blowing and laughter. Words...words of love and pride and joy! So many words crossing vast miles and a time zone. It was just so lovely to hear those words coming from Meg's mouth. I'm so very proud of her. I know this is the hardest thing she has ever done and at times she really hates it, but she's pushing through it and will come out on top! As proud of her as I am, I love her so much more. Her phone call was an amazing gift and I'm still sitting here replaying it in my head.
I guess this has pretty much been a huge waterfall of verbal vomit huh? It's the nerves. It makes me rambly and sound like I have ADD. Just ask my sister. She just spent and hour listening to me say things like, "Oh he sounded REALLY positive and he talked to so many people and he said something about, oh wow, look at those damned lady bugs..." So if this post doesn't make much sense, don't feel bad because I think Amanda's head is still spinning!




