April, 2011

Now that some dust has settled, I can finally talk about some of this stuff. Events that needed to remain private as we worked them out. Events that God brought us & have been months in the making.


For sure it's been one of the most challenging times in my life. 2nd only to that 6-ish week time period in 2008.

* * * * *

I never thought it would happen to me. Even that it could happen to me. This is what 20/20 & Dateline & 60 Minutes are made of; not my life. But it came & made me heartsick.

I saw a Facebook status update from M, telling A to call her. Didn't think too much of it. I have been involved in several similar rounds of phone tag. Can't call someone? Just Facebook them.

Then, scrolling more down into my Facebook newsfeed, I saw a status update from A's dad.

A is considered to be a missing person by the MI police. She didn't come to work for 2 days, & they contacted her emergency contact (old roomate). A's car was found abandoned in GA at a Family Dollar store, where she bought some shampoo & other sundry things.


That's all we know since 4/9. A & M both used to babysit Emily & I all the time when we were kids. I don't have an older sister; I have A & M. & she is just gone.

I take "some" comfort that it seems she went to GA on her own, possibly to see her sister & parents that live there. But it is unusual that she just left. But now that it has been so long & they have had bad weather, it is more worrying everyday.

* * * * * * *

The day before that, my 97 year old great-grandmother passed away. I hope that I am her when I am 97. Relatively healthy & super happy & loved.

I hesitated to take time off of work because my co-workers disliked when I took 1 day off for being sick the week before & I knew things were going to happen at work that week, but my boss was really understanding & I was out of work for 3 days to go to TN. I'm really glad that I did because it was nice to see all my cousins there & celebrate the good times everyone had with Grandma.

* * * * * * *

I got a text message from a co-worker while we were on the way home from TN. 3 people in my department were laid off.

When I got back to work that Monday, I was #4.

I knew things were slow & bad for months. I know that I left on good terms. So I was ready.

When my dad was laid off in 2009, my aunt told him about a school program for Medical Coding & how it is a growing business. He never followed through with it though because he got another job pretty quickly.

So I talked to my aunt to learn more, & I really think I could like it. There is always opportunity in that field to advance as you can complete more & more certifications. Plus a lot of reading & analysis.

I'm in 1 pre-req summer class through JCC, then I'll be in a certification program at U of M October, 2011-May, 2012. Then I'm ready to work at a hospital or doctors office anywhere, plus add credentials to myself by self-studying and testing in different billing specialties.

* * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, Tim couldn't come with us to TN because he is beginning a graphic design job in Traverse City! Tim is moving in ~1 month, & I'll be up there full-time in July when our Adrian lease is over.

God really took care of us by providing a job for Tim as I lost mine, & allowing me to find a growing career (vs. my dead journalism degree & dying mortgage industry/experience). I also am collecting unemployment, which helps fill the gaps in the meantime.