The Last...First...Day

At the end of April, my employer--NITLE--released me. It was a major downsizing, and budgets eventually win the day. They still do great things, and I have and do wish them well.

Things have changed in job searches. Fairly recently, in fact. As I felt my way through the new process of finding a job, I made enough mistakes to extend my jobless status. As of today, I am unemployed. Not between jobs. Unemployed. I base that on whether you actually apply for benefits or not. It's a personal categorization, not a Federal one.

There are many things I could say about this situation, but one really hits me today: unemployment may well be the best thing that happened to me in my career.  For one, key summer I was a stay-at-home dad. My work with New Beginnings Mentoring Ministry, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and some key individuals kept me busy and meaningful. God provided the funding, and we're surviving.

Today was a key moment in my "career." I have a daughter beginning her senior year of high school.

I also have a son beginning his time at that same high school.

My youngest daughter is starting the years of middle school where they actually let you do things. Same school; completely different lifestyle.

DeAnn's new career chapter began a month ago, so the transition is different.

This summer gave me the opportunity to to fishing with my children. Didn't catch a fish on Lake Pflugerville, but we went. We had discussions that never would have happened, had I been employed. I picked up slack, and I prepared for today.

The Last First Day for Victoria: An Eternal Holiday.

This will be a series of "lasts" for her. We will spend her last Labor Day Weekend on the road to Kansas. There will be a last Halloween, a last Thanksgiving, a last Christmas, a last Valentine's Day, a last Spring Break, a last tennis match, a last day of school.

And a first good-bye, waiting in the wings...ready to be the first of many.

I am now glad I was part of that 7.8% this summer. My summer efforts resulted in lives that changed for the better, including mine. This morning, my eyes tear up more with thanksgiving than regret.

This is the song playing on repeat in the minivan today:

It was a great summer. Prayers my readers and I have a great year of "lasts," "firsts," and happy times that we all remember as the moments that will remain. Hopefully, there are even more great summers to come.

Sooo...now that this day is "over," are any of you hiring?