Well this blog post has been a long time coming! I really do look at our family blog as a family history and I try include the good, the bad and sometimes the just plain ugly. In the beginning on October Jon was told he was being laid off from his position as general manager of the Spanish Fork store at Verizon. He was on a little staycation at the time because he had been working crazy hours and received the news via phone while I was at the DMV renewing my drivers license with Benson and Jaxson was at school. He was informed that although corporate had decided to eliminate the districts's floating managers positions (a manager that "helps" other stores and the district manager) about a year prior they were done waiting for positions (open store manager positions) to transition their more experienced, tenured managers (the floating manager was seen as somewhat of a promotion during its time, even though some of the floating managers weren't good store managers, they had just been with the company for a really long time) so they were letting go of one store manager in every district that had not been able to transition their floating manager to that point. Unfortunately that included Jon's district. The part that was extremely hard to swallow was Jon's boss could not/would not give him answer as to why he was selected out of the 6 managers in his district to be let go. Jon's store at that point was number one in the district and top five in the region. He had received numerous awards as a store manager in addition to his store receiving many awards for their performance. And mind you this store was struggling before Jon received the offer to work there. While we were never able to get a straight answer out of his boss, he was told he had 30 more days with the company (his final day being November 4th) and would receive a small severance package that included health insurance for a designated amount of time. That news did provide some comfort in a time where we felt like our world was completely shaken up. Jon has been with Verizon for eight years. He started a couple of months before we got married, started as a sales rep, then an assistant manager and finally a general manager. So really it's all we've know. Jon thought he would continue to work his way up and retire with them and if he ever left it would be on his terms. It is pretty hard to get fired from Verizon (tons of documentation of mistakes, intentional malfeasances, warnings, coachings for mistakes, etc.....which Jon had none in his file) , but as we discovered it's not very hard to be laid off and they don't have to tell you why you were chosen in any terms that matter. The only answer Jon received is he ranked in the bottom of the algorithm they created to determine rankings, yet his store was first.....super weird! Moving on! The next month was spent searching out contacts, sending resumes, growing as a family in uncertainty and faith....it was a lot! During the first couple of weeks, Jon interviewed and was offered a job with Verizon.....but in Dallas, Texas. Woof! Yes, we had talked about moving to Texas but not in the middle of the school year (in which Jax is thriving at his new school. We love his teacher....she gets him! And sometimes he is a hard cookie to get) and super unexpectedly. We talked a lot about offer to move (they would include a relocation package and white glove moving service but no severance package). We had decided I would stay behind with the kids till at least January if not till spring! Basically we had decided to take the job. But I kept getting a gut feeling. We could take Jon losing his job in two different ways. One, it was our time to move to Texas and continue on with Jon's journey in Verizon. Two, it was Jon's chance to look beyond Verizon and see if somewhere else in Utah would be a better fit. I expressed my feelings to Jon and we decided together it was time to fully walk away from a company who at the end of the day didn't truly value what he brought to the table. And it was VERY scary to walk away from the comfort of what we've always know. So the search continued on......and on and on and on. He thought he was going to have offer from another company (he had about 3 meet and greets in addition to 3 interviews) but they unfortunately they had a hiring freeze put in place the beginning of December. During that time he was also interviewing with Comcast to do business to business sales. After 4 interviews with them he was offered the job!!!! HALLELUJAH! During the last three months we have learned a lot as a family. First and foremost, we never walk alone in the challenges in life. We know we were blessed, guided, and loved during out time of hardships, strife and tears. Second, our family is everything! I love my husband so much. I have seen him at his most vulnerable, most strong, most determined, most broken, etc. these past three months. I have only grown to love him more (even though we've been up each other's butts and drove each other crazy a little bit for the past two months!). And lastly, I have so much love and empathy for those that go through a job loss. It is SCARY! Especially with small children. I have fought to find my faith over fear but I'm telling you right now that's been rough thing to do. And once again my earthly challenge to find and utilize my patience was yet again tested. Watching Jon go through interview after interview and time everything took drove me bonkers. Needless to say it has been a learning journey that we have now lovingly dubbed, the backhanded blessing. We do believe this will be the best move for our family and for Jon and his career but we know our growing pains are not over. Tomorrow Jon starts his new job and I could not be more proud of him! I know he is really excited to back out there and show them what he's got (even though he knows the first month is probably just going to be a lot of training!). I am just super grateful for all the effort, time, blood, sweat, tears he has put in and will continue to put in for our family. Okay now I'm just rambling :). Hopefully we get to move on to the next chapter in our life soon (which terrifies me just as much.....a third child and all things infertility related). Wish us luck!
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