When Brad got hired with Avast and then with Panorama, we entered into an incredible season. Financial stress wasn't really much of a thing anymore. After years and years of saving, struggling, worrying... we could finally breathe. I could shop without guilt. Buy Matilda Jane for Diana, sign them up for any activity they wanted, pay for therapies, hire a reading tutor, decorate my house, buy cute shoes... it was nice. I vividly remember several times, Brad and I would look at each other and say, "I don't know how long this season will last, but this sure is awesome." If life together has taught us anything, it's that there are most definitely seasons. Money can come and go, we already knew that. So we figured we'd enjoy it while it lasted and if it ever ended, we'd make the most of that season too. We'd been there before, so we were prepared. Fast forward to the end of July and Panorama suddenly, with no warning, announced that there would be some layoffs. Brad texted me saying "I think I'm getting let go. We're having a meeting soon." I asked him why, and he said he lost all access to everything after they announced the layoffs. He got a decent severance. But it would've been nice to have more warning as we only had a month for insurance. With Noah and Brad both on medication, we can't let that lapse too long. Thankfully Dr Shah was amazing as always and changed Noah's prescription to double the dose for 90 days so that we could split each pill and technically make it last for 180 days. I swear that man is the best. Interviewing when you're in a senior type role is so different. Brad has been through 8 interviews with one company and still waiting to hear back. He interviewed with another company he would've been perfect for and the boss loved him, but they were worried he was too much of a manager bc of all his experience. Ben said he had to take off his Masters to get the job he landed, bc everyone thought he was overqualified. Which is so stupid bc they tell you to GET the Masters in order to land the big jobs! Brad has literally spent 6 weeks pouring over his resume, interviewing, networking, and doing everything he possibly can to land a new role. He's treated getting a job as his job. And all this while agreeing to let a couple teenagers live with us. Which takes us to the next crazy life turn...
Libby was one of my model team girls turned best friend. I've never bonded with a friend so easily and quickly. She would assist me on my shoots, so we had lots of time together. She ended up going to CoC for school but then dropped out after overloading her course load and burning out. She and her boyfriend Jaden ended up working random jobs for the next year, getting pregnant twice (one miscarriage, the other an abortion), and then getting married. Hayden was her ring bearer and Diana was her flower girl. I was with her the entire day with her closest friends and family. After they got married, they made plans to move back to Charlotte (with their 4 cats lol) and were going to stay with her parents. That was until she called Brad in tears begging to stay with us bc she and her dad got into a huge fight. Instead of talking to me about it, he said yes. About 8 years ago, Brad and I agreed that we needed better boundaries when it came to people in our lives. We can love people to a fault. We connect easily, we want to be there for people, but then we find ourselves in situations where we're getting taken advantage of or losing sight of us. Anyway, they moved in. Don't get me wrong, I want to help. But Libby's problems aren't exactly the ones of a rejected, homeless teen. She's an only child and while she's very thoughtful and so funny, she also needs to be the center of attention. If she feels slightly under the weather, she "might have strep". Lol. They lasted 3 weeks. hahaha Brad made them agree to check in with him about job applications and even though he got Jaden a job with Arrow, I don't think they liked the accountability. But leading up to the move out, we had a really good time. Sierra (one of my other past models turned friend) and her boyfriend Nic broke up right before they moved in, so we basically took her in too. We spent hours playing board games, drinking, laughing, and loving her. She's bounced back pretty well. Nic is an idiot. He was so consumed with furthering his career and thinking he's better than everyone bc he's Colombian that he let the most precious person in his life go. Anyway, Libby and Jaden moved out and I'm so happy to have our space back and our family life back to normal.
The kids homeschool life is back in full swing. We've had multiple play dates and about to go on our 3rd field trip tomorrow to Carrigan Farms. We've been to the Huntersville Ice Cream shop which was so cute and then last week the kids did an art class on expressionism at Imaginon.
My sweet Hayden. He's taken Brad's job loss the hardest I think. He's my feeler, my thinker, my sweet little love. He's so like me. His anxiety manifested itself physically this week. He wasn't eating as much. Complained that he was tired often, had a headache, his tummy hurt, starting crying over things like growing up... all my depression/anxiety symptoms. We had a talk tonight on our family walk to my mom's that even if Brad doesn't get a job soon, we have lots of friends and family that have offered to help us if we need it. Including my Grandddaddy. Brad went to help them unlock a door after a family event recently and had a sit down talk with them. He explained how wronged I've been with this whole Roland situation. Mammaw is a coward and does the whole "well we need to forgive" and "we don't want to treat anyone differently" (talking about Hannah and Sarah who have been awful to me for years). My Granddaddy stopped her and said, "No, it's not right. Hailey is different. She's my doll." I wish he were 20 years younger. All of this would've been solved. Sorry I'm getting off track. After that talk tonight, Hayden perked back up. Ate his dinner, asked for seconds, and even had a little ice cream (on a cone, even though he doesn't like to eat the cone lol). He annoyed Diana, and I'd never been so happy to have to get on him. I love that little boy so freaking much.
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