So the last time I mentioned Chris's job we were in waiting mode (don't know what I am talking about go to my post from Monday, June 29th) . Well, the wait is over.
We actually never heard from Sentry as to whether or not they were officially firing Chris but we got tired of waiting for them and moved forward without the push from them. Chris had/has a great contact in Madison, WI (an old boss from Sentry that recently moved there to a different insurance company) that worked very quickly to get Chris a job at his company. He was very excited about our desire to move and was going to have a job open anyway so Chris went down for an interview, within a few days we had an offer and then a few days later we accepted the job. This past Friday Chris put in his official two weeks notice at Sentry. We are moving to Madison, WI.
Chris will start work down there on July 30th. He will stay in some kind of extended stay hotel thing and Sam and I will live up here until the house sells. We are going to have a long distance marriage during the week for a while. I will have Sam, be showing/trying to sell the house and working up here. Once the house sells then we will all move down to Madison, hopefully quickly finding and buying a house ourselves. We can't buy one until we know for sure that this one is sold; two mortgages is just not something we can handle.
So that's the plan. Now, to the thoughts, feelings, emotions about the plan. I am so happy that Chris has found a job that he is excited about. He will be able to keep taking the exams (he is thrilled about that...sense the sarcasm), he is just not ready to give up when he has already come this far. I am happy that we don't have to deal with unemployment, struggling on my meager salary or moving somewhere really far away out of complete desperation. However, I am also not happy that the second place that I will live after college is still SO FAR away from family (okay I know it's not another country or even out of the mid-west, but anything farther than a strollers walk away seems too far right now). I am terrified about the stress and work of trying to sell this house, the frustration in being apart from Chris so much and the sadness of Chris missing out on changes in Sam. I am worried that I am not going to be able to handle all of this on my own each week. Whatever is worse then terrified is what I am feeling at the thought that we might not have sold this house by the time this new baby gets here! How in the world will I have a baby, a two year old and a house for sale all by myself? Like I said, worse then terrified. I am praying that it won't take that long to sell this house.
We are moving ahead quickly with things which means that our house will hopefully be on the market in a couple of weeks. This is all new to us so any advice about selling a house, long distance marriage or being a single parent would be greatly appreciated!
Enough for now but I am sure I will have lots to share as this crazy adventure continues.
5 comments:
So happy that Chris got the job! Hoping that everything goes smoothly and the house sells quickly. Take care of yourself! Our congrats to Chris and wishing you the best of luck on this new exciting chapter in your life!
Abbie,
Anything closer is better. It sounds like things are working out for the best. Don't worry about the house etc, it will all fall together as it should. You and LIndsey have a lot in common - a new baby coming and a husband that is going to be about two hours away. It will be tough but you will get through it. It sounds like a good deal for Chris. Take care of yourself and don't worry. Now if I could just practice what I preach!
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper, not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future". Jeremiah 29:11.
Trust in Gods promises!
You're moving to a GREAT area -
Money magazine just ranked Middleton, WI (right outside Madison) as one of the top 5 out of the 100 Best Small Towns in America in which to live).
AND, there's a HUGE difference between temporarily parenting singly and being a single parent!
You're surrounded by a loving community of family and friends who will help you through these changes. (And I KNOW your parents will be there in a heartbeat if you need them!)
And you'll be 2 hrs further south - and that much closer to ST Louis!
Hang in there!
Congratulations on the new job!
I have been in a similar spot -- when our 4th was 6 weeks old, Jason started a job 4 hours away from us. He lived up here during the week and came home on the weekends. I was still working, and a sitter was watching my 4 kids plus one of hers in my house during the day, then in the evening I was frantically cleaning, packing, getting the house ready for showings, etc.
It was hard, but not nearly as awful as I expected it to be. My tips: that Magic Erasers are the best tool for prepping your house for sale, that Merry Maids doesn't cost much and will save your sanity, and that you should get a pop-up play tent (PlayHut or something) that you can throw all Sam's toys into. We had a basement playroom, and I let the kids do whatever they wanted down there, then when it came time to show the house we'd just toss every toy inside the play tent and the room looked clean. ROCK ON!
I feel for you with being pregnant -- all that cleaning is hard, and add to it the natural instinct to have everything settled so you can nest properly. But I bet your house will sell really quickly, and your next hurdle will be finding a place you want to buy!
Congrats on Chris finding a new job so quickly! The job situation sounds like it will be so much better for him than Sentry.
I've done the single mom thing more than I'd like with as much as Andrew travels. I have to admit, it was difficult at first, but after awhile, it just became routine and easier to deal with. I think you will do fine. And you have a bit before the new baby arrives. Hopefully your house will sell before all that happens and that will make it a bit easier on your guys!
I definitely second you getting a cleaning service. That will take one thing off your plate and make things just a bit easier for you. Just because you are home doesn't mean you have to do EVERYTHING!
Good luck to all of you with everything! We'll be thinking of you guys and hope for the transition to be easier than you anticipate!
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