My Journey through Breast Cancer

On October 11, 2013, I was diagnosed with Stage II Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) ... or as we like to call it, extreme measures for a nap (EMFN). For a while, this blog will be my cancer journal. Enter at your own risk.

08 December 2009

'tis the economic season

How do you tell people you're losing your home? I have been reluctant to say anything ... more out of respect for the hearer than embarrassment of my situation. You've been on that side of a conversation before, I'm sure. Someone tells you their mother has been hospitalized, their kid is sick, they've lost their job ... and you're suddenly on the spot for the exact right response, having had no warning. Its not that I don't want people to know or am embarrassed, I just don't like to sucker-punch people. As a result, I still haven't talked much about our current financial situation with anyone outside my immediate family. You see, I want to spare you.

And yet, I get pretty upset when others I consider close don't share with me the hard things going on in their life. How can I care for them or pray for them if I don't know what's going on? So it has finally come time to sucker-punch the masses.

We're losing our home.

Its a sign of the times, really. We all know someone who's been hit particularly hard by the current economic plummet. And if you don't ... well, now you do. We got caught in a perfect storm of sorts ... Caleb lost his job just a couple weeks after we had a baby and I was only going to be returning to work part time. Our reduced income and some savings kept us going for a while, but about a month ago, as we crunched the numbers, we decided it was time to let go. There just weren't any good reasons to try and stay in a condo that wouldn't sell for profit for another 5-7 years, a condo we are already outgrowing.

My generous parents and their big house have offered us a place to live until we can get back on our feet. Who says you can't go home again? They're excited to have a grandchild so close ... and a big screen TV.

We're going to do the holidays first. I've decorated inside and Caleb has decorated outside. Home will be a cozy abode, filled with Christmas music and hot chocolate, for a while longer. We're planning on doing the actual packing and moving in the first couple weeks of January. After that its in the hands of a realtor for a short sale. Its the last responsible thing we can do with the place, and we're responsible people, so we wanted to be ... responsible. Besides, the short sale isn't nearly as bad to the credit report as a foreclosure.

Though the process is truly an emotional one, we have both reached an unexplained peace about the move. God is good, and we don't doubt that for a moment. We already see a lot of good things coming out of our situation. We also realize we still have so much to be thankful for, not the least of which is that our family is still together and healthy. Its amazing how much the truly important things are enough when everything else is taken away.

So, how do you tell people you're losing your home? You just tell them. Because you can't walk through things like this by yourself. That would just be silly ... and irresponsible.

2 comments:

Goes On Runs said...

thanks for sharing.... it is a blessing and privilege for those who get to pray for you along the way. we get to partner with the king of the universe on your behalf. wow! that is amazing. thanks for giving me that opportunity.

Robin Reed said...

We went through a similar thing when we moved to Oregon - our condo in CA sat on the market for a year, and we ended up doing a short sale. It was a difficult (and very humbling) experience; and yet God was faithful the whole way through, and we learned some valuable lessons. I'll be praying for you and Caleb!