The Year That Changed Everything – Part 1

January 2013 started with the passing of my father. I had such mixed emotions about that time. Kevin was, for the first time shedding tears during a funeral, I was struggling with the type of relationship I had with my father and I was trying to figure out how to explain to my then four year old where Pop-pop was.

If I thought that January 2013 was bad, February 2013 was about to get much worse. I had been watching all the changes happening at work. Someone from the office had given me some tidbits several months earlier. So when I got called to meet with my boss on my day off, I wasn’t surprised. I thought they were going to be changing my schedule around. However, I wasn’t expecting what came next.

Me and my counterpart at the time were both called into HR. Both of us were perplexed about seeing each other there. I am not sure about the other lady, but I was getting nervous really fast. At that point I didn’t know what to think.

As we sat down at the table in HR, there was my boss and her boss, the HR lady and the two of us. Looking back, they did a terrible job at explaining what was changing. I think it took me and my counter part a little bit to figure out what they were telling us. But once we figured it out, it was a surprise. They were eliminating third shift all together and adding one second shift position.

To say I was shocked was an understatement, however I don’t think it sunk in for a while. The only thing I remember thinking is, how much severance will i receive? That was the moment I knew I wasn’t going to compete for second shift position. However, I wasn’t going to let the other person know that, I wanted them to sweat it out. My official last day would be April 5th. But that wasn’t the worst thing that happened that day.

I had warned Kevin about my meeting with HR. Although I didn’t think I was getting fired, I did give him a heads up. I also told him I thought it was going to be a schedule change. He was very supportive at the time. However, when we sat down that even to discuss the results of my HR meeting, Kevin had his own bomb shell to let go of.

Kevin decided to tell me he wanted a divorce on the day I told him I was getting laid off.

These three events, my dad passing, losing my job, and Kevin asking for a divorce all happened within the first 45 days of 2013. I feel these three events were the biggest turning point in my marriage. But what transpired in the course of the next year was amazing and bittersweet.