Losing your job? Go shopping; you'll feel better

No joke here; that IS how I'm wrapping up my week.

Wednesday I found out it'll be a matter of weeks before I lose my job.
Thursday I decided to get pre-approved for a loan for a new vehicle.
(Well used from Carmax but whatever, it's still a $14,000 purchase)

That's right ladies and gents, first thing Saturday morning Jeff and I will drive with the kiddies to one of Chicago's largest CarMax locations and shop for a minivan. With a little luck I'll be driving it home.

Did someone say SOCCER MOM? Oh no you did-nnn't.

I'm a football Mom, I'm a baseball Mom. No soccer round these parts.

However, I will say that I do feel like this is that step. That next step towards my MID-30s, where I set comfortably into the Motherhood role and shuttling my children around while having no real life of my own for a few years before I realize that almost all but uncapable of having an adult conversation. (Hell sometimes I feel like that now)

Except that I've decided I won't let that last part happen to me. I started a piggy bank for the down payment on the minivan, I will now start over for my camera.

I love to take pictures. It's been a hobby of mine for years and I've never had the money to invest in a good camera. Before long I will have the money and I will indulge in that activity as often as I can.

So if that means driving to my photo taking destination in a minivan among all the other Moms, so be it. Casey won't be kicking me in the back with her feet, Kyle won't be whining about how he has NOOOO room with his 33 inch inseam and when we take a family trip there will be more than enough room for all our crap.

I don't want a minivan, I need it. Sue me.

**** Edited to touch base with 2 of my readers.

Emma I see you----you haven't updated in forever and you have no email attached to your profile. Please let me know you are ok.

Missy- I've been emailing you all week. Does gmail hate you again?

Waving the white flag oh.....and a pink slip

So my week from hell has just gotten 100 times better.

Why you ask?

I'm getting laid off....VERY shortly.

Please no tears, no tears. Really. With our big move coming up I wasn't sure I wanted to continue the commute into the city anyway. This really is the best thing that could have happened.

I got confirmation on Wed from my boss that YES, it's only a short matter of time before I get laid off. As in the next 2 weeks to a month at the latest.

They asked him for a "schedule" and he had someone getting laid off in June, July and August to stretch it out hoping to get more business and be able to keep someone.

HR came back and said "No, you need to condense it and we need 4."

So my boss said "ok, MAY, June, July and August."

They came back and said "No, 2 in April, 2 in May." and by this they mean BY April 1st. Hello people it's already March 21st when my boss was telling me this and they give everyone 2 weeks notice to let you know.

He said he's still shooting for 1 person in April, 2 in May and 1 in June on the chance to keep me through June but when push comes to shove he'll have very little say in the matter.

So I'll be getting laid off very soon, which really right now..is a blessing.

The only other thing he's waiting to hear back from them on is my 4 yr anniversary is April 14th. When I hit that I would get another week of severance so he's trying to say to HR. "I have someone for April IF you give her the extra week since she'll be just a few days shy of her anniversary date anyway" and REALLY..they should. That's just cruel. It's a matter of 1 to 2 weeks pay for them out of pocket so we'll see what their final decision is on that.

I'm anticipating coming in Friday or Monday and being told that my last day here will be April 6th or 13th. Then 6 weeks severance and then unemployment will kick in. Really, it's fine, it's a crap package. We got sold the end of 2005 by our parent company to some small rinky-dink company. At the end of 2006 they changed the severance packages. It used to be 4 weeks up front plus 2 weeks for every year of service, which meant I would have gotten 10 or 12 weeks at 100%. Now my options are 5 or 6 weeks.

I'm actually quite thrilled for the time off. I can help with my sisters if they need me, I can get some rest, I can enjoy the kids and baseball. I can clean and pack and cook good meals instead of eating on the fly every darn day..and not stress about money.

So yeah...not the greatest news since I was originally hoping to stay as long through the summer as possible and get us further out of debt in anticipation of the move and the hopes of only having to work part time or (gasp) not having to work at all. So this came as a little bit of downer. Then I did the typical Angie thing and crunched the numbers and realized that I will be making about $230 -$250 MORE on unemployment (how sad is that- shows you how much I pay out in daycare for Casey) so it's kind of a no brain decision that I could stay home and STILL pay the debt down.

So there ya go.

I threw up the white surrender flag and offered myself up to the severance Gods back in January and now it's finally going to happen.

Just trying to clean up my desk in preparation of the "news". I can't remember ever being this calm about losing a job. Maybe I'm growing...

Take me

Finish that sentence anyway you like...

Take me out to dinner- cuz lord knows my husband and I get to eat together about twice a week if we're lucky. The rest of my nights consist of doing "happy dances", train or plane sounds and sure begging to get Casey to eat what I've prepared. Other times it's just a matter of watching Kyle inhale a plate of food while leaning up against the kitchen counter plus I won't even mention the cookware or dishes I seem to have to do all alone most nights.

Take me out of the house- Seriously. I spent most of my 3 day weekend in the house. Friday I did get out in the afternoon to run a few errands with Kyle. Saturday morning I treated myself to grocery shopping. YIPEE! (Anyone detect the sarcasm there? Anyone? Anyone?) Sunday...no where. Not that I had anywhere to go. The weather was craptacular and I had a "to do" list in preparation of the move that I had to get done. I got all but ONE small task completed so I am proud of myself...but jeez...a girl really needs a little adult interaction.

Take me to my happy place- because it's now been 12 days since I called Chrysler about my release of lien for my car. The State of Illinois still shows it has a lien holder regardless of the fact that I paid my car off in 2003. Yes. 2003. I need my release of lien so that I can go look for another car. Not that I think anyone will give me much for my 1999 Dodge Neon with 85,000 miles on it..but even if it's $1,000---that's $1,000. I'm getting anxious because Jeff is off this weekend and I really want to go car shopping.

In good news though....Kyle found out Thursday night that he made the travel baseball team. His Mom ran out and got a huge balloon bouquet and made signs for his bedroom door so when he came home from school on Friday he had a big surprise.

Lastly, things with my extended family aren't good and it's just too painful for me to discuss now. So if I seem a little off for the next couple of days....please be patient. I shall return to my completely funny yet dysfunctional self soon.