Change is coming.....

So it is really Gina's news and not mine to share - but I'm home with Isabel tonight - while she is at a Church fireside/dance with all the teenagers who live at the house. So I'll share the news - Gina got the word on Wednesday that she is being laid off from work. The company - lumber brokerage - hasn't been doing well since the down-turn started. We were not totally taken by surprise - but she thought it might be later in the spring. Instead, they are having her work through February - to help with year end - and then they are going to give her a little severance package - not generous - but not entirely unfair. She's been with the company for 13 years - so it is a bit disappointing for her. At the same time - she hasn't been enjoying it either, and as one of the accountants you have a pretty good idea of how much money is being lost each month - so in some ways she is quite relieved and is enjoying have some certainty in our uncertainty.

We aren't really concerned about our finances - just have pull the horns in a little and be more careful. At the same time, Gina is going to have a chance to experience unemployment and staying home for a while. She's had at least one job, and sometimes two jobs, since she was 14 - so it might be good for her. We'll see what pops up after a while - but she only wants to work part-time, so it may be a little while before she finds something that is the right fit.

So, the Williams family is now a victim of the economic downturn.....but grateful for all our blessings and good fortune - and confident that in the end all things happen for a reason and we'll manage through this like everything else. We remind ourselves each day to count our blessings - and we consider ourselves very lucky indeed.