A Day and A Half

As you know, Friday EJ was permanently laid off from the wonderful job that enabled us to move to our beautiful enchanted forest in Northern Michigan.

EJ told me that as soon as he got into his suburban, he called the head hunter (a person who connects companies with job seekers) and set up an appointment with him for Monday. His meeting with the head hunter lasted an hour, and 20 minutes after he left he was called by a company wanting him to come in for an interview. He missed the call at that time because he was driving but he called back later and set up an interview for Tuesday morning. He went to the interview on Tuesday and the company immediately hired him. He starts next Monday.

The pay is a little less than he was getting at the other company–but at least EJ has a job. All of the new company’s contracts are long-term so it’s very unlikely he will ever get laid off. He’s also back to working ten-hour days for four days a week. With less income, money will be tight, but JJ has taken over paying for his phone bill and his medical bill for cancer.

Thank you all who have prayed for us. EJ was technically without a job for about a day and a half (not counting the weekend). I’m so relieved and thankful that he has a job so quickly. I pray that he loves this one even more than the previous one.

Our buggy is still stuck in the driveway. EJ believes something is preventing the steering wheel from turning so that he can’t pull it out. He has been driving JJ to school and work. I’m not sure what will happen when EJ begins working.

We had a scare today. EJ took JJ to school, then went to fill out paperwork for his new company, and then picked JJ up from school. I was surprised when JJ came to the door and I didn’t see any sign of EJ or the suburban. JJ said, “Dad is stuck at the bottom of the driveway.” He had come up to get a shovel. We had gotten several more inches of snow. A guy driving by saw that EJ was stuck and stopped and pulled him out.  It turns out that he’s a neighbor that lives down the road, and EJ and he had a nice chat. I was relieved that we didn’t have two vehicles stuck in the driveway. After EJ got the sub up the driveway, he and I took turns snowblowing the driveway.

I tell EJ that I feel so easily overwhelmed and anxious and depressed these days–with an intensity I’ve never felt before. It’s as if I have no shields to protect me and everything hits me hard and deep. I don’t know if it’s a symptom of Caregiver Burnout or what. I hate it. But whenever I get overwhelmed, EJ says, “Don’t worry. I am your Samwise and I will help you.”