Colorado!?

This last week has been fine. Just the same routine of cooking, working, harnessing the kids, etc. Then out of the blue yesterday Dwayne calls me and asks if I am ready to move to Denver. I was silent for a few seconds waiting for the punchline and nothing was forthcoming. "What? Really? Wait, what is going on?" He then told me that he would get more details in a half-hour or so when he was done with his conference call with HR. Apparently his boss has decided to accept a managerial position at a physical store. Because his requirements were to stay in the area because of his family, they allowed the team to stay on the west coast. Now that he is moving to a new position the rebates team will be relocated to Denver as the corporate office originally wanted. What this means is that Dwayne still has his job. They don't have any intentions of replacing him but he will be required to relocated to Denver. They have a very generous moving package to help us with that. If he decides not to relocate then all we get for compensation is 3 weeks of pay and some counseling to help find a new job. It's almost like if he would just quit the position. So technically, he isn't layed-off.

After the initial shock, my first thought was when do we have to move? I didn't even have too many questions on if we even should. I think we would be foolish to not take a position that is guaranteed and basically handed to us on a silver platter. Especially with the job market the way it is right now. I have too many friends and family who are struggling because they can't find any work. If we do this, it will be very very quickly. They anticipate having room for him at the latest Feb. 1st. So that gives me about 6-8 weeks to figure this out and get moved out there. I'm trying really hard not to freak out.

Dwayne is going to check out a couple local options today and then put in a counter offer to HR on Friday. They are offering to give him the same pay he is getting now. That would be 3 positions within the company that he would have not received any kind of raise. We are hoping to get at least $10,000 more a year because that will make up for the little bit I was bringing in with my part-time position. Please pray that they accept and we will be covered in that way.

So as of now, it looks like we are going to accept and be moving to Denver, Colorado in the middle of winter. How do I mentally prepare to move my family not just 2 hours drive away but two days? I will have to make sure we keep our communication lines open with the family. I'll do my darndest to keep up on the blog and I think I may check out Skype. Then the grandmas can talk to the kids over the internet and get to see them at the same time. Wow. I'm still in shock. I hope I know as early as the beginning of next week on what I need to do and whom to call. I hate not knowing my path and what I should be doing.