Furloughed

So, K took off last Sunday for the last part of his duty this month.  He was sitting hotel reserve, with a bunch of other people and not a full crew.  Tuesday he got a random call from the travel scheduler that he could go home and do home reserve.  OK, we were happy because Wednesday was his birthday, but he thought this scheduler was being spiteful towards another FE that was also sitting reserve with him (she's that kind of person). 

Well, then Wednesday night, the October schedule went out to rebid.

Thursday night, all the crew that was in training for upgrades had training cancelled.

Friday morning K got the first call from a buddy that said buddy was furloughed.  He called me (I was on the road for work) and let me know.  We knew it had been coming, but we got complacent because it hadn't happened.  A couple more phone calls and texts later, he got his call.  Apparently they saved him for last because the guy that had to make the calls really liked K.

So, he's officially furloughed.  He already started the process to go to Dallas and get his CFI and CFII so that he can get a job to build up his hours.  It'll be a 30 day program, but the good news is no more 20 days away after that, at least for a while.  Until he gets a job flying the big birds again.

I consider us lucky.  We still have my income, and some money in savings.  We'll be OK, it's going to hurt, and we'll pull out of savings Every.  Month.  (from what we are hearing his unemployment won't be a whole lot, but that is still to be determined... depends on what state we can claim it in).  But we'll make it.  We've been here before (he got laid off as an A&P back in 2001, yep, right after 9/11), but that doesn't make it fun.  Especially since that money was earmarked for IVF. 

I know that not everyone will fair so well.  I feel so badly for those families.  But we do have some tough decisions to make (although nothing nearly as tough as others are dealing with, please know that I get that).

So now, we decide do we go ahead and do the donor sperm and IUI (as it's cheap enough that we can squeak it out once or twice and just make it until I get my bonus or we get our tax refund), or wait the God knows how long to get him a job and replace the money in savings.  That could be 5 years down the road!!

Oh yeah, another kink?  I've talked with my company about moving me to their headquarters.  Which is 5 1/2 hours away from where we are now.  I have friends there (not where I'm from though), and my parents live there.  Lots of good reasons to go, but I've got to overcome some negativity that I built in with some important people during my days in the dumps of drinking too much after infertility.

So, all in all I think we're handling it well.  It's so tough, knowing how much it's affecting.  There's so much on hold in my life right now, waiting to see what his unemployment will be, waiting to see if we'll move for my job, etc. 

And Buggie?  She's just happy that daddy is home.  :-)