Hi, friends.  It’s been awhile since I last posted; please accept my apologies.  As you might imagine, life’s been a little bit… strange around the G family household this summer!  

I say that because of this earlier post about my husband being unexpectedly downsized out of his job a month or so ago.  Remember now?  Okay, moving on…

It’s taken some time for all of it to really sink in for us, considering that I was already unemployed at the time (having chosen to leave my job early in ‘08 to stay at home with our son) and then there we were, both of us unemployed.  But while reality has sunk in, the panic really hasn’t.  Not yet, anyway.  

Financially, we figure we’re okay for several months if we’re careful, so that’s not so much a problem just yet.  And, really, there haven’t been ANY problems that have arisen out of the situation.  

Nope.  It’s all been pretty good, actually.     

Dan has been a million times less stressed out, which seems somehow wrong in the circumstances, but is actually really nice.  He had spent so many months being anxious and on edge in an environment that had become increasingly tense and unpleasant, so when the ever-looming question “will I be next?” was finally answered, it was almost a relief just to know so we could finally stop wondering and worrying.  

And not only has he been less stressed out, but he’s been surprisingly and gratefully optimistic and positive for the new opportunity that he’s been given by way of this unexpected career detour.  Our networks had rallied so quickly and effectively in the immediate aftermath of Dan’s downsizing that he had over half-a-dozen interviews lined up within the first two weeks, and he’s still in the running for several of those positions.  The tremendous support and encouragement our friends and business associates have shown is overwhelming and wonderful, and I know it has helped keep Dan’s outlook positive.  It’s good to feel wanted, to feel appreciated.  And that he is.  

It’s also been nice to have him around more.  Yeah, those first few weeks were a little rough with us bumping into each other every time we turned around, but once we acclimated to all of us being home together all the time, we realized that it didn’t have to be hell!  We’ve started taking picnic lunches together, down to the lakefront, to a park, to the zoo.  We’ve taken time to go for bike rides, kick a soccer ball around in the backyard, take our dog for a walk, play a game.  Even just running errands together has become a nice little treat that we can do together.  We’ve felt more like a family in the past month than we have in a long time, and I think it’s because Dan’s mind is no longer preoccupied with the stress of his old job but is open and clear and looking to a better future. 

Aside from all that, we’ve been spending a LOT less money, which has helped us realize that we CAN spend a lot less money than we were.  Of course, spending less is a natural byproduct of finding ourselves mutually unemployed, but it’s not like we became paupers the minute Dan was downsized, so it wasn’t absolutely essential that we suddenly pinch every single penny. I think we’ve both just started really weighing whether something is worth spending money on right now, and we’re both coming up with “no” as the answer far more often, even with something as simple as stopping by Starbucks while out running errands.  It feels good.  I think this is one thing that’s going to stick with us even when Dan finds his next opportunity.  

Which leads me to the next segment of today’s post… 

Interestingly enough, one of the opportunities that Dan has been pursuing is with a company based in Georgia.  

Because Alexis is here in Wisconsin, Dan and I have never in our 10 years together considered the possibility of moving elsewhere.  Until now.

And, I tell you, it’s like a whole new world has opened up before our eyes.  We’ve been going through the past 10 years with blinders on, never thinking about or imagining making a life for our family anywhere other than where we are right now, probably because we’ve never had to think about it.  Funny how a job search in a crummy job market can force you to think outside the box!

Sure, in my early twenties I dreamed (often) of moving out to California, getting my big break in Hollywood and living out my days along the Pacific coast.  But those dreams went up in a cloud of smoke when I met Dan and decided he was “The One,” because his then 2-year-old daughter was here, which meant he had to be here.  

Alexis is now 12.  And while it would be very hard for us to move farther away from her, and it’s not what we’d prefer to do, at least it’s not as hard as it would’ve been when she was so little, and we may have to move in order to keep the ship afloat.  She’s old enough to understand now that even if we aren’t here physically, she’d always be in our thoughts and our hearts and would be just a phone call or plane ride away. She’s also at an age where she’s developing more of a sense of adventure, so the prospect of being able to visit us someplace totally new and different is kind of intriguing to her.  

The toughest aspect of us potentially relocating now is that Alexis is still adjusting to life after her mom and stepdad’s divorce, which became official in March after nearly 10 years of marriage.  Her stepdad was her day-to-day dad for all intents and purposes, and they had a wonderful relationship, so it’s been a big period of adjustment for her.  Fortunately, her stepdad has remained a strong figure in her life in the months since, and he and her mom have remained friends in the aftermath of their divorce, so we feel confident that he will continue to play a positive role in Alexis’ life.   

All of that notwithstanding, the fact that Dan was willing to consider the possibility of relocation for the one opportunity has resulted in us realizing that the scope of his job search can be so much bigger than we’d previously thought.  And it’s actually fortunate in the circumstances that I’m also unemployed because I’m not tied here by a job either.  We’re at the perfect crossroads in our lives to look at making a major move, and I have to admit that it’s a little bit exciting, realizing that.  

There’s nothing to keep us from going to Georgia, or North Carolina, or New York, or California, Seattle, Portland, Denver…  The world (or at least the United States) is literally our oyster right now.  How cool is that?!? 

Now, if only our friends and families would stop sending us emails and leaving us messages saying that we’re not allowed to move…  Although I suppose it could be worse: They could be encouraging us to move away! 

Thanks to those of you who have followed our story and offered words of encouragement - we really appreciate them!

Amy Giampetroni is a happily married woman, a full-time stay-at-home mom to a preschool boy and a part-time stepmom to an adolescent girl, living in Wisconsin. You can read more about Amy here and at her blog, Average Everyday Super Woman. Click here to check out Amy’s other posts on This Mommy Gig.

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Tags: employment, family